Japan: what is it really like?

[Eiji Hino]

i have never been to japan, but my dad has offered to take me with him next he has to go over ther for business. i have met several people from japan, but they're the stereotypical salaryman type. if and when i go, that is something i want to avoid.

if it truly exists, then i want to see the side of japan that's awesome pop music, guys who look like girls, manga, gorgeous women, anything kawaii, a skyline of glowing neon lights, anime, etc.

ultraman, kamen rider, super sentai and various anime have pretty much played a role in such an assumption. lol.

for those who have been to japan, what is it really like?
please...be honest.

 

[Kura]

I've never been, and although I like all the popular media stuff that Japan brings to North America and the rest of the world, I would personally love to research old traditional shrines, pagodas, and experience as much of an older culture of Japan as the newer culture. Japan is a small place with a big experience to take in, I would think! Do you know where in Japan you are headed? I hear different areas offer different things.. however you could probably travel by train/ subway easily to get to where you want to go.

 

[Kivat]

Guys who look like girls. lol

My school seems to have a study abroad program, so when I start I'll probably go their too. I want to experience everything you want too.

 

[Eiji Hino]

I've never been, and although I like all the popular media stuff that Japan brings to North America and the rest of the world, I would personally love to research old traditional shrines, pagodas, and experience as much of an older culture of Japan as the newer culture. Japan is a small place with a big experience to take in, I would think! Do you know where in Japan you are headed? I hear different areas offer different things.. however you could probably travel by train/ subway easily to get to where you want to go.

at the moment, my dad and i are just discussing the idea. nothing certain at the moment. i would to go to tokyo, osaka, kyoto, and rural towns as well.

 

[Kura]

at the moment, my dad and i are just discussing the idea. nothing certain at the moment. i would to go to tokyo, osaka, kyoto, and rural towns as well.

Is there a place you can research about what festivals may be happening around the time that you are visiting in those places? It seems like a lot of fun! Akihabara is the electronic district, though.. isn't it? And I hear Harujuku is full of shopping, girls, and lots of crazy styles. Shibuya is the biggest crosswalk in the world, isn't it? So there could be tons of lights and people around there!

@_@ I've never really been, myself.. but I think anywhere you go sounds like it'd be a really cool and different experience!

 

[Smilodon]

Tokyo is basically what everyone knows about Japan. Places like Harajuku, those are the neon lights and stuff. Make sure you visit the Tokyo Tower and climb up the stairs. It's awesome because the observation deck has a glass floor so you can see through it!!

I'm from Osaka. Or at least I was born there. Make sure to try all of Osaka's famous foods like Takoyaki! There's also the Osaka-jou which you can visit. Though it's not one of the original Japanese castles (it was rebuilt a few times) it's still awesome.

Kyoto is pretty famous for its cultural significance. It used to be the capital of Japan, so it has a lot of old fashioned buildings, it's great.

 

[Kivat]

Tokyo is basically what everyone knows about Japan. Places like Harajuku, those are the neon lights and stuff. Make sure you visit the Tokyo Tower and climb up the stairs. It's awesome because the observation deck has a glass floor so you can see through it!!

I'm from Osaka. Or at least I was born there. Make sure to try all of Osaka's famous foods like Takoyaki! There's also the Osaka-jou which you can visit. Though it's not one of the original Japanese castles (it was rebuilt a few times) it's still awesome.

Kyoto is pretty famous for its cultural significance. It used to be the capital of Japan, so it has a lot of old fashioned buildings, it's great.

Geezuz, I will piss myself from how you're describing Tokyo Tower. :laugh:

Does anyone know my phobia with Glass elevators? lol

Btw, I always wanted to try Takoyaki since I watched Carranger. :laugh:

That was it, wasn't it?

 

[KouAidou]

Tokyo is basically what everyone knows about Japan. Places like Harajuku, those are the neon lights and stuff. Make sure you visit the Tokyo Tower and climb up the stairs. It's awesome because the observation deck has a glass floor so you can see through it!!

I'm from Osaka. Or at least I was born there. Make sure to try all of Osaka's famous foods like Takoyaki! There's also the Osaka-jou which you can visit. Though it's not one of the original Japanese castles (it was rebuilt a few times) it's still awesome.

Kyoto is pretty famous for its cultural significance. It used to be the capital of Japan, so it has a lot of old fashioned buildings, it's great.

Osaka-jou was a bit of a disappointment when I went. The outside really is beautiful, but the inside is just a modern museum because they didn't have any copies of the floorplan to know how to rebuild it. The closest I've seen to a "real" old castle was Matsuyama castle, and even that one isn't Sengoku authentic... because it burned down in a lightning strike. (It was rebuilt in the Edo period, though.)

Kyoto is one of the few places in Japan you can go to see "real" old buildings, because it was spared firebombing in WWII. Most of the classic structures in Tokyo are reconstructions (if beautiful ones). Out of the Zojoji Temple (which is right next to Tokyo Tower btw, I highly recommend it if you go; Tokugawa Ieyasu is buried there and they filmed some Shinkenger there) only one of the entry gates is authentic.

Shinjuku is the place to go if you want the "classic" image of Tokyo they use in movies, with the neon lights and such. Harajuku is the place to go for cosplay and gothic lolita and girlyboys and such (visit the Meiji Shrine if you want some history while you're there). They play pop music out on the streets of Shibuya. Those districts are all in the same area; you can even walk between them.

If you hit up Akihabara, I also recommend stopping by Ryogoku (sumo and the Edo-Tokyo Museum) and Asakusa (for the festival atmosphere and stalls around the Sensou-ji Temple).

Basically it's entirely possible to go to Japan and see nothing of it but the view of it you've seen in anime and toku, and it will live up to that image. There's much more to it, though. I imagine you'll see plenty if you go to all the places you say. Sadly, I'm sorry to say it but there's no avoiding the salarymen if you ever take the train.

Geezuz, I will piss myself from how you're describing Tokyo Tower. :laugh:

It's not like the entire floor is glass. There's just a few "keyhole" sections in the floor.

 

[Smilodon]

Osaka-jou was a bit of a disappointment when I went. The outside really is beautiful, but the inside is just a modern museum because they didn't have any copies of the floorplan to know how to rebuild it. The closest I've seen to a "real" old castle was Matsuyama castle, and even that one isn't Sengoku authentic... because it burned down in a lightning strike. (It was rebuilt in the Edo period, though.)

Kyoto is one of the few places in Japan you can go to see "real" old buildings, because it was spared firebombing in WWII. Most of the classic structures in Tokyo are reconstructions (if beautiful ones). Out of the Zojoji Temple (which is right next to Tokyo Tower btw, I highly recommend it if you go; Tokugawa Ieyasu is buried there and they filmed some Shinkenger there) only one of the entry gates is authentic.

Shinjuku is the place to go if you want the "classic" image of Tokyo they use in movies, with the neon lights and such. Harajuku is the place to go for cosplay and gothic lolita and girlyboys and such (visit the Meiji Shrine if you want some history while you're there). They play pop music out on the streets of Shibuya. Those districts are all in the same area; you can even walk between them.

If you hit up Akihabara, I also recommend stopping by Ryogoku (sumo and the Edo-Tokyo Museum) and Asakusa (for the festival atmosphere and stalls around the Sensou-ji Temple).

Basically it's entirely possible to go to Japan and see nothing of it but the view of it you've seen in anime and toku, and it will live up to that image. There's much more to it, though. I imagine you'll see plenty if you go to all the places you say. Sadly, I'm sorry to say it but there's no avoiding the salarymen if you ever take the train.



It's not like the entire floor is glass. There's just a few "keyhole" sections in the floor.

I've only been to Osaka-jou and Himeji-jou. Himeji is still one of the originals, though its in Ehime so it's a few train rides there. I never lived in Japan very long, so seeing the castle itself was great.

Kou knows a lot more about Japan I do. She's actually been there and remembered everything!

 

[Quark]

I've heard the giant robots are in reality only medium sized robots.