Have your say & ask the experts

Andrew Everard:

JD's shopping was in part thanks for some work he'd done to help me out while blogging abroad, but I couldn't believe the price difference on the cigs, not partaking myself these days. About a quid a pack at HK duty free, and I gather people are paying £6 or more for 20 these days...

JohnDuncan:

Andrew Everard:

JD's shopping was in part thanks for some work he'd done to help me out while blogging abroad, but I couldn't believe the price difference on the cigs, not partaking myself these days. About a quid a pack at HK duty free, and I gather people are paying £6 or more for 20 these days...

Yeah, they were so cheap we had a Marlboro Light party

Andrew Everard:

Big A,

If you want any more guidance on things to see, drop me an email at the usual address with any questions and either I or my wife will endeavour to help...

Very kind, thanks Andrew!  We've got a plan in place - and it would be really helpful if you could give it a sense-check to ensure we're not missing out on the Japanese Grand Canyon or spending too long in the Japanese Coventry! Will mail.

Cheers

JohnDuncan:

Andrew Everard:

JD's shopping was in part thanks for some work he'd done to help me out while blogging abroad, but I couldn't believe the price difference on the cigs, not partaking myself these days. About a quid a pack at HK duty free, and I gather people are paying £6 or more for 20 these days...

Yeah, they were so cheap we had a Marlboro Light party

gpi:

JohnDuncan:

Andrew Everard:

JD's shopping was in part thanks for some work he'd done to help me out while blogging abroad, but I couldn't believe the price difference on the cigs, not partaking myself these days. About a quid a pack at HK duty free, and I gather people are paying £6 or more for 20 these days...

Yeah, they were so cheap we had a Marlboro Light party

Lol, who said nicotine wasn't addictive?

Big A

Emailed you a reply, but it was bounced. So...

Your schedule looks pretty comprehensive as far as visiting places around Japan goes.



Places to check out in Tokyo:



- Yodabashi Camera shop in Akiba (Akihabara) - seven floors of cameras, audio,
other electronics and, at the top, restaurants



http://www.sunnypages.jp/travel_guide/tokyo_electronics/consumer_electronics/Yodobashi+Camera+Multi+Media+Akiba/1920



- Takashimaya Times Square in Shinjuku is a great department store,
complete with typical multifloor food hall in the basement, good for
sampling stuff, buying Japanese tea to bring back, stuff like that.
Connected to it is a huge Tokyu Hands household store, good for unusual
gifts, and at the top is a massive HMV store. Also good restaurants and
a big bookstore onsite.



http://www.japan-hopper.com/2009/01/27_222463.php

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/tokyo/S27134.html



- Tsukiji (pronounced skeejee) Fish Market is a good visit, but you
have to go early, like 4-5am, to see it in action. Good sushi places
around the market, too, and of course the fish is as fresh as you can
get it



http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm



- Yasukuni-jinja and the Yushukan. The temple where Japanese soldiers
were told their spirits would go when they died in battle, and the one Japanese
prime ministers cause unrest with the country's former enemies when
they visit. For those reasons less visited by tourists than, say,
Asakusa or the Meiji temple, but fascinating. The Yushukan (War Dead
museum) is also stunning, having recently been rebuilt, and gives a
facinating view of the Kamikaze and WWII 'from the other side'.
Japanese are always very surprised when I say I have been there, but it
proved a big hit when I took a bunch of fellow British journalists
there on a free day on a press trip a year or two back.



http://www.yasukuni.or.jp/english/



- See also Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple) which is the classic
Japanese temple you see on all the tourist stuff, but has building work
going on at the moment



http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3001.html



- and the Meiji Jingu - an imperial temple, which is much quieter, and worth a visit



http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/



Near to Meiji Jingu are also Omotesando and Takeshita-dori, which are
two of the city's most happening shopping streets. You can walk up from
Harajuku station and see not only the usual European luxury names, but
also the latest Japanese fashions.



Oh, and if you are shopping in Ginza, check out the
Ginza Lion beer-hall. It's a brick arch-vaulted German beer hall in the
middle of Tokyo (there are several German style beer places like this in the city),
complete with waitresses in German costumes, and German sausages!



http://ultimatepubguide.com/pubs/info.phtml?pub_id=340#



Have fun

JohnDuncan:

gpi:

JohnDuncan:

Andrew Everard:

JD's shopping was in part thanks for some work he'd done to help me out while blogging abroad, but I couldn't believe the price difference on the cigs, not partaking myself these days. About a quid a pack at HK duty free, and I gather people are paying £6 or more for 20 these days...

Yeah, they were so cheap we had a Marlboro Light party

Lol, who said nicotine wasn't addictive?

"I'm a one a day man"

Big Aura:

Andrew - on behalf of our IT police, sorry for the bounce.  This is really helpful, thank you so much!  G

Oh, and if you're into tech, try:

Toyota Mega Web – massive showroom, museum, and cars you can drive for yourself – in Odaiba

http://www.megaweb.gr.jp/English/

and the Panasonic Centre - showcase, eco house, future tech and stuff - in Ariake

http://www.panasonic.net/center/tokyo/index.html

Both accessed on the Yurikamome automated transit system from Shimbashi station, which is on the circular Yamanote line

Also lots of good restaurants and shopping in Odaiba area, and the Yurikamome is worth a ride just to take in some of the futuristic buildings in this new-build area – kind of like Tokyo's equivalent of London's Docklands – such as this, the Fuji TV building:

Well, China is already building a 350kph 'bullet train' line from Beijing to Shanghai, using Japanese company Kawasaki Heavy Industries' Shinkansen technology...