Yes. It was brilliant.Dyched wrote:Yes one of those “Oh look where I am going”
Anyway, anyone been? Looking at the possibility of going next year. Normally book to go somewhere without much knowledge or but feel this might be a bit silly with Japan. Looking at going to Yokohama and probably flying into Tokyo. Looking at 2 weeks with about 4/5 days in each city.
This is what I’ve done mostly. Just rocked up and soaked in what places actually are rather than the tourist sights.harryharryharry wrote:I went, just pitched up and made it up as I went along. If you're going to get pangs of regret because you didn't do the 5 things you "must do" in Tokyo, that's not for everyone.
Getting about is easy. All the stuff you need is in Roman as well as Kanji. I never went hungry. That thing you see where they have plastic versions of everything in Japanese restaurants, that's true. And helpful. And you can always grab and go at Lawson's.Dyched wrote:This is what I’ve done mostly. Just rocked up and soaked in what places actually are rather than the tourist sights.
How easy is the little stuff eg getting about, eating/drinking?
The bullet is something I do want to try. Would be hopefully travelling by train to various places. The underground was something I thought might be a problem. Sure it’s pretty simple to get around once I’ve figured it out and got used to it.evensteadiereddie wrote:Well, we were generally in a tour group but, when left to our own devices, managed to cope pretty well, the folks we met in bars or restaurants seemed to be a very polite and curious bunch. The Tokyo underground bamboozled us a little, none of the words on any of the boards seem to bear any relation to anywhere we could recognise but commuters almost fought between themselves to help us out.
If you are travelling long-distance, do take the Bullet Train. It's fabulous.
Yep. You've got it. You'll be fine. And, of course, the bullet trains are a highlight. But so are some of the local and scenic services and as for ekiben...Dyched wrote: The underground was something I thought might be a problem. Sure it’s pretty simple to get around once I’ve figured it out and got used to it.
It never came up in conversation. It wasn't top of my agenda to quiz the people I met on that topic.Blackrod wrote:I’m sure it’s an interesting culture and country. Are the Japanese people ashamed of how they treated POWs to barbaric torture or don’t they acknowledge this ? I know the government will not offer a full apology. Just interested to know.
Image on the bottom right looks like a treat.harryharryharry wrote:Yep. You've got it. You'll be fine. And, of course, the bullet trains are a highlight. But so are some of the local and scenic services and as for ekiben...
I have no idea what most of it was like many things I ate there. But it was almost all delicious.Burnleyareback2 wrote:Image on the bottom right looks like a treat.
Blackrod wrote:I’m sure it’s an interesting culture and country. Are the Japanese people ashamed of how they treated POWs to barbaric torture or don’t they acknowledge this ? I know the government will not offer a full apology. Just interested to know.
I've been a few times with work. It's an amazing place, definitely worth a visit.Dyched wrote:This is what I’ve done mostly. Just rocked up and soaked in what places actually are rather than the tourist sights.
How easy is the little stuff eg getting about, eating/drinking?
I Know you probably mean well, but you've had a 75 year window for this. I think we already get the point.Blackrod wrote:I’m sure it’s an interesting culture and country. Are the Japanese people ashamed of how they treated POWs to barbaric torture or don’t they acknowledge this ? I know the government will not offer a full apology. Just interested to know.
Imagine how hard it would be for us Brits abroad if everyone stopped and asked us about how we'd treated their country/relatives/natural resourcesBlackrod wrote:I’m sure it’s an interesting culture and country. Are the Japanese people ashamed of how they treated POWs to barbaric torture or don’t they acknowledge this ? I know the government will not offer a full apology. Just interested to know.
The thread title is just ‘Japan’. I would suggest that is fairly broad and my post is about Japan. Also I haven’t had that long a window as I wasn’t alive 75 years ago.CharlieinNewMexico wrote:I Know you probably mean well, but you've had a 75 year window for this. I think we already get the point.
Stay on topic.
When and what specifically ? Extracting Iron Ore is hardly the equivalent of killing wounded on a death march. I understand the point if we are looking at events hundreds of years ago but there are still families alive ( I know some) who have been impacted by their family being mistreated.Lancasterclaret wrote:Imagine how hard it would be for us Brits abroad if everyone stopped and asked us about how we'd treated their country/relatives/natural resources
****. I'm not great on the values of "Empire Death Bingo"Blackrod wrote:When and what specifically ? Extracting Iron Ore is hardly the equivalent of killing wounded on a death march. I understand the point if we are looking at events hundreds of years ago but there are still families alive ( I know some) who have been impacted by their family being mistreated.
I agree that some of our history is shameful. However the Boer War was 1899 to 1902 and is less likely to have had an impact on families still alive today. In a climate where we are apologising for absolutely everything and the Japanese Government won’t I wondered what the view of the Japanese public was. Ie how is it dealt with and what do they learn in schools and so on. I know how the Germans deal with this subject and I tho k they do this very well.Lancasterclaret wrote:****. I'm not great on the values of "Empire Death Bingo"
Is a Death March the equivalent of engineered famines in India, causing millions of deaths?
Is the treatment of Allied POWs less or better than our treatment of Boer women and children in internment camps, resulted in thousands of deaths?
Point I'm making is that we are haven't got a leg to stand on when it comes to stuff like this.
I went on holiday with my wife to the west of Ireland about a decade ago.Blackrod wrote:I agree that some of our history is shameful. However the Boer War was 1899 to 1902 and is less likely to have had an impact on families still alive today. In a climate where we are apologising for absolutely everything and the Japanese Government won’t I wondered what the view of the Japanese public was. Ie how is it dealt with and what do they learn in schools and so on. I know how the Germans deal with this subject and I tho k they do this very well.
As for the later post it’s hardly being weird looking at the history of a country and it’s stance on certain subjects when looking at the overall culture.
Dyched wrote:Yes one of those “Oh look where I am going”
Anyway, anyone been? Looking at the possibility of going next year. Normally book to go somewhere without much knowledge or but feel this might be a bit silly with Japan. Looking at going to Yokohama and probably flying into Tokyo. Looking at 2 weeks with about 4/5 days in each city.
Well I was going to refer to our treatment of the Irish to highlight the ‘shameful’ history. I think most of us who have looked into this would hold their hands up and acknowledge this.Lancasterclaret wrote:I went on holiday with my wife to the west of Ireland about a decade ago.
We went for lunch in a pub which had a Lee Enfield rifle hung up in the wall, with a placard that about how it had been used by the IRA in the struggle against the British.
Guess what we didn't talk about, and guess what I was polite and sensible enough not to ask about?
I've never been, but its on the list. I reckon both me and blackrod would love it though.Billy Balfour wrote:I have a hunch that Japan isn't for you, Blackrod.
I went to Matsue on the northwest coast of Honshu. I was not the only tourist there I'm sure. But I didn't see any others. I'm not recommending it specifically- that would defeat the object - but that was among my favourite couple of days so yes, I agree. Get out to some of the rest of Japan. I only nibbled at the edges but Matsue, Kagoshima, Hiroshima, Matsushima and Hirosaki will live long in my memory. I'm not a fan of megacities so much and actually didn't really get Kyoto. That may be fair or not - my "don't plan it to death" approach risks that; I rolled into Nagano, settled in my room and started to plan the next day... found things were further away than I thought... got that scrap of paper out of my bag... realised I'd meant to stay in Nagoya but bad handwriting had taken me to NaganoDyched wrote: Would love to stop at a random small town somewhere...
Hi Dyched,Dyched wrote:Yes one of those “Oh look where I am going”
Anyway, anyone been? Looking at the possibility of going next year. Normally book to go somewhere without much knowledge or but feel this might be a bit silly with Japan. Looking at going to Yokohama and probably flying into Tokyo. Looking at 2 weeks with about 4/5 days in each city.
I asked a question to do with Japan. Clearly not a subject you can stomach.Rileybobs wrote:Classic Blackrod. Pig ignorant.
He's reacting to your post to be fair.Blackrod wrote:I asked a question to do with Japan. Clearly not a subject you can stomach.
Classic Rileybobs : sandal wearing libtard white flag waving surrender monkey with followers of the same ilk in tow. Ironically what the Japanese historically would not have tolerated.