Japan 2017: Difference between revisions

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== High-priority things (or things lmm is worried about) ==
== High-priority things (or things lmm is worried about) ==
* Confirm we're all content with outline schedule
** Looks good to me- MP
* Agree how we're getting from Tokyo to Yakushima (fly all the way vs fly + jetfoil) and book
* Agree how we're getting from Tokyo to Yakushima (fly all the way vs fly + jetfoil) and book
** I would tend towards the JAL flight for simplicity, but if others prefer to save money (and think we can) with cheap flight + jetfoil then we can do that --lmm
** I would tend towards the JAL flight for simplicity, but if others prefer to save money (and think we can) with cheap flight + jetfoil then we can do that --lmm
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** Fun2drive
** Fun2drive
** Yakushima accommodation
** Yakushima accommodation
* Agree who's going on the space center tour and book
* Agree where we're staying each night and book
* Agree where we're staying each night and book
** i.e. whether we travel in the evening or morning for Nagasaki-Hiroshima, Hiroshima-Kyoto, Kyoto-Hakone and Hakone-Tokyo
** i.e. whether we travel in the evening or morning for Nagasaki-Hiroshima, Hiroshima-Kyoto, Kyoto-Hakone and Hakone-Tokyo
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*** Otherwise it's a judgement call as to which direction we want to be flexible in (since the accommodation bookings will be what constrains how long we spend where)
*** Otherwise it's a judgement call as to which direction we want to be flexible in (since the accommodation bookings will be what constrains how long we spend where)
* James, which parts are and aren't you coming on?
* James, which parts are and aren't you coming on?
== Things that can't be progressed until a later date ==
* Booking for tours of Tanegashima Space Center is 1 month ahead if I've read the site correctly
* Pop concerts
** I can help with booking via ePlus if there's anything major - JN
** If you're fine with going to see a group you've never heard of, there's almost certainly something, but it's too early to book: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=jhqrtl9na3gev1vihqnpt3qvgo@group.calendar.google.com - JN


== Dates ==
== Dates ==
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***** The flight + jetfoil option turns out to be more than the flight (11,290JPY + 8,300JPY) so I take back what I said earlier. The flight to Kagoshima, the Yakushima may be the cheapest option. I discount the ferry because it only runs twice a day and seems like it takes far too long. - YYY
***** The flight + jetfoil option turns out to be more than the flight (11,290JPY + 8,300JPY) so I take back what I said earlier. The flight to Kagoshima, the Yakushima may be the cheapest option. I discount the ferry because it only runs twice a day and seems like it takes far too long. - YYY
***** Are you sure you're considering the cheapest options for flights? Hyperdia generally gives overpriced flights. The Jetstar flight to Kagoshima is only ¥4300 one way if we book now. - JN
***** Are you sure you're considering the cheapest options for flights? Hyperdia generally gives overpriced flights. The Jetstar flight to Kagoshima is only ¥4300 one way if we book now. - JN
* Shinkansen  to Chugoku?
** Hiroshima - stay 2 night?
*** Is there 2 nights' worth of stuff to do there? --lmm
**** Possibly, James said we could spend one day doing Peace Park and the other going to Miyajima.
***** Had missed that Miyajima was there. Sounds like a plan.
* Shinkansen to Kansai? Meet up with Dave?
** Kyoto- 1 night or 2 nights? Are we splitting the party here? - MP
*** 2 nights sounds reasonable. I'll stick with the group unless anyone else is interested in striking out. - YYY
*** Shrines
**** Fushimi Inari Shrine- I've done it twice before but I'm up for it again if people are interested. The mountain trails are spectacular and you get great views of Kyoto. - MP
**** Kiyomizudera- big temple famous for its huge stage jutting out over the hill. Adjacent to a number of other temples and the traditional touristy Higashiyama District. -MP
** Traditional theatre
*** Nijo Castle- Tokugawa Ieyasu's pad. Inner castle is usually closed but the gardens look very nice and include a variety of cherry trees that should be blooming when we're there. - MP
* Shinkansen to Kanto?
** Hakone - stay 2 nights?
*** [http://fun2drive-japan.com/car-tours/ fun2drive] is the original JDM sports car entertainment company near Mount Fuji, only 2 hours from Tokyo. Conveniently located at a gateway to the greatest touges (mountain passes) in Japan, we offer the largest fleet of JDM sports cars from NISSAN: Skyline GT-R & Fairlady Z, HONDA: NSX, TOYOTA: Supra & AE86, MAZDA: RX-7, MITSUBISHI: Lancer Evolution, SUBARU: Impreza WRX, and more. Whichever JDM sports car you choose, experience it on a variety of touges in Hakone, a mecca of car enthusiasts in japan, while enjoying the stunning scenery of Mount Fuji, landscapes, lakes, oceans, etc…
**** Considering the [http://fun2drive-japan.com/car-tours/Ultimate_Hakone_Drive.html Ultimate Hakone Drive] in the GT-R R35.
**** If more people do it, then we can swap cars (for a fee).
***** Put me down as interested - I guess the RX-7 would be my first choice --lmm
***** Alasdair: I have some interest in this - if I'm reading the price list right it comes to under 50,000 JPY? I'd be happy with most cars, as long as it has power steering and manual transmission. S2000 looks suitably bling, but the Super 7 looks hilarious.
** Hakone is famous hot spring country, apparently --lmm
*** I would be interested in going to one where they let you wear swimming trunks. - YYY
**** Pfft, that never happens in my animus. We're all friends here, no? --lmm
** Is there two days worth of stuff here, especially for non-drivers? Hakone Shrine looks fun but what else? -MP
*** The Hakone Tozan Railway looks interesting, and I would interested in seeing the Botanical Gardens or one of the art museums. - YYY
**** Works for me. -MP
* Tokyo:
** [http://ms-bunny.com/en Rabbit and hedgehog cafe]
*** You need to book this > 1 week ahead of time. I can handle this if you let me know how many people. They might not be able to fit everyone at once. - JN
* [https://gurunavi.com/en/g584700/rst/?<u>ngt</u>=TT0c773e930001ac1e4a112ceMZnqYSN_EjdcS3aCnP12g Kujiraya - Whale meat restaurant]
** Perhaps the LittleBSD cafe, having seen the advertising and been amused.
** [http://www.nasu-oukoku.com/contents/english2015.html Nasu Animal Kingdom] In Tochigi Prefecture. You get to feed Capybara!
** Mahjong in some suitably fancy way (Gemma has offered to arrange) --Lmm
** Akiharbara etc. (possibly best as a non-group activity)
** Skytree- again, I've done it before, but fantastic view. - MP
** Ueno Park- over one thousand cherry trees so likely great at this season. Features museums and a zoo. - MP
*** I always find Shinjuku Park more spectacular than Ueno. You have to pay 200 yen or so to get in, but it's more grassy and much bigger so you don't have to wade through drunk Japanese people & big American tourists - JN
* Pop concerts if there are any at the right time? --Lmm
** Basically impossible to book from outside with the possible exception of entering the AKB48 lotteries.
** I can help with booking via ePlus if there's anything major - JN
** If you're fine with going to see a group you've never heard of, there's almost certainly something, but it's too early to book: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=jhqrtl9na3gev1vihqnpt3qvgo@group.calendar.google.com - JN
* Thought about JR pass logistics: assuming we use the subway etc. to/from the airport in tokyo, we can probably defer activating them until the Tuesday, meaning they'll be live for the whole rest of our trip if we do get bored in Tokyo on the last Sunday and want to head out into the country or some such. --lmm
** We can activate at Kagoshima-Chūō, though the office is only open from 10AM. May be better off activating at the airport, but we'd better all agree dates beforehand in that case. --lmm


== Flight details ==
== Flight details ==
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* Nagasaki day 1
* Nagasaki day 1
** Morning: travel there (Note that this takes around 3:30 from Kagoshimachuo, a little longer from Kagoshima central. Sakura shinkansen should be ok with the JR pass).
** Morning: travel there (Note that this takes around 3:30 from Kagoshimachuo, a little longer from Kagoshima central. Sakura shinkansen should be ok with the JR pass).
** Afternoon: Stuff.
*** Thought about JR pass logistics: assuming we use the subway etc. to/from the airport in tokyo, we can probably defer activating them until the Tuesday, meaning they'll be live for the whole rest of our trip if we do get bored in Tokyo on the last Sunday and want to head out into the country or some such. --lmm
* Dejima at some point
*** We can activate at Kagoshima-Chūō, though the office is only open from 10AM. May be better off activating at the airport, but we'd better all agree dates beforehand in that case. --lmm
* Afternoon: Stuff.
* Dejima


=== Thu, 30/03/2017 ===
=== Thu, 30/03/2017 ===
* Nagasaki day 2
* Nagasaki day 2
** Day: stuff
* Stay in Nagasaki
* Stay in Nagasaki??


=== Fri, 31/03/2017 ===
=== Fri, 31/03/2017 ===
* Hiroshima day 1  
* Hiroshima day 1  
** Morning: travel there - again around 3:30
** Morning: travel there - again around 3:30
** Afternoon: museum and memorial park
** Afternoon: museum and peace park


=== Sat, 01/04/2017 ===
=== Sat, 01/04/2017 ===
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=== Sun, 02/04/2017 ===
=== Sun, 02/04/2017 ===
* Kyoto day 1
* Kyoto day 1
** Shrines
*** Fushimi Inari Shrine- I've done it twice before but I'm up for it again if people are interested. The mountain trails are spectacular and you get great views of Kyoto. - MP
*** Kiyomizudera- big temple famous for its huge stage jutting out over the hill. Adjacent to a number of other temples and the traditional touristy Higashiyama District. -MP
* Traditional theatre
** Nijo Castle- Tokugawa Ieyasu's pad. Inner castle is usually closed but the gardens look very nice and include a variety of cherry trees that should be blooming when we're there. - MP
* This is the day of the Kawasaki penis festival, but attending is probably impractical
* This is the day of the Kawasaki penis festival, but attending is probably impractical


Line 243: Line 209:
* Hakone day 1
* Hakone day 1
** Daytime: ???
** Daytime: ???
** Evening: Baths? (to relax and prepare for driving)
*** Is there two days worth of stuff here, especially for non-drivers? Hakone Shrine looks fun but what else? -MP
**** The Hakone Tozan Railway looks interesting, and I would interested in seeing the Botanical Gardens or one of the art museums. - YYY
* Evening: Baths? (to relax and prepare for driving)


=== Wed, 05/04/2017 ===
=== Wed, 05/04/2017 ===
* Hakone day 2
* Hakone day 2
** Team drivers:
** Team drivers:
*** Drive
*** [http://fun2drive-japan.com/car-tours/ fun2drive] is the original JDM sports car entertainment company near Mount Fuji, only 2 hours from Tokyo. Conveniently located at a gateway to the greatest touges (mountain passes) in Japan, we offer the largest fleet of JDM sports cars from NISSAN: Skyline GT-R & Fairlady Z, HONDA: NSX, TOYOTA: Supra & AE86, MAZDA: RX-7, MITSUBISHI: Lancer Evolution, SUBARU: Impreza WRX, and more. Whichever JDM sports car you choose, experience it on a variety of touges in Hakone, a mecca of car enthusiasts in japan, while enjoying the stunning scenery of Mount Fuji, landscapes, lakes, oceans, etc…
**** Considering the [http://fun2drive-japan.com/car-tours/Ultimate_Hakone_Drive.html Ultimate Hakone Drive] in the GT-R R35.
**** If more people do it, then we can swap cars (for a fee).
***** Put me down as interested - I guess the RX-7 would be my first choice --lmm
***** Alasdair: I have some interest in this - if I'm reading the price list right it comes to under 50,000 JPY? I'd be happy with most cars, as long as it has power steering and manual transmission. S2000 looks suitably bling, but the Super 7 looks hilarious.
* Team others:
* Team others:
** ???
** ???
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=== Thu, 06/04/2017 ===
=== Thu, 06/04/2017 ===
* Tokyo day 1
* Tokyo day 1
** Jigokudani Monkey Park sounds cool, but is probably too far for a day trip and not worth an overnight trip
** [http://ms-bunny.com/en Rabbit and hedgehog cafe]
*** You need to book this > 1 week ahead of time. I can handle this if you let me know how many people. They might not be able to fit everyone at once. - JN
* [https://gurunavi.com/en/g584700/rst/?<u>ngt</u>=TT0c773e930001ac1e4a112ceMZnqYSN_EjdcS3aCnP12g Kujiraya - Whale meat restaurant]
** Perhaps the LittleBSD cafe, having seen the advertising and been amused.
** [http://www.nasu-oukoku.com/contents/english2015.html Nasu Animal Kingdom] In Tochigi Prefecture. You get to feed Capybara!
** Mahjong in some suitably fancy way (Gemma has offered to arrange) --Lmm
** Akiharbara etc. (possibly best as a non-group activity)
** Skytree- again, I've done it before, but fantastic view. - MP
** Ueno Park- over one thousand cherry trees so likely great at this season. Features museums and a zoo. - MP
*** I always find Shinjuku Park more spectacular than Ueno. You have to pay 200 yen or so to get in, but it's more grassy and much bigger so you don't have to wade through drunk Japanese people & big American tourists - JN


=== Fri, 07/04/2017 ===
=== Fri, 07/04/2017 ===