OT: Heading to Tokyo

[Code001]

I'm gonna be heading to Tokyo tomorrow night. Anyone have any tips for traveling overseas? It'll be my first time ever leaving the country, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

 

[MrDan666]

I'm gonna be heading to Tokyo tomorrow night. Anyone have any tips for traveling overseas? It'll be my first time ever leaving the country, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

Awesome man!! Im sure you'l have a killer time in Tokyo!

How long is the flight?

If its long, try and get some sleep or something to pass the time.. Whenever i fly from London to Florida, i try and sleep as much as i can. Any time i cant sleep, i watch a dvd on my portable DVD player or something

 

[thiswaythatway]

I went to Japan a few years ago. The flight from NYC was 14 hours. Make sure you stretch your legs every few hours.

Tokyo and Yokohama are really like one big huge city. Be prepared for a bit of culture shock if you're not used to a crowded environment. Are you going with anyone who speaks Japanese? My wife has most of her family in Yokohama so we were taken out every night so we never had to find somewhere good to eat. You will hear a lot of English though like on the trains.

One thing i liked a lot was taking a Bullet train to Kyoto, Kobe, then to Hiroshima. Those Trains fly along at close to 200mph and they're soo smooth you don't even feel it.

Kyoto is the city where all the old History is, lots of old temples and things to see.

 

[Code001]

Awesome man!! Im sure you'l have a killer time in Tokyo!

How long is the flight?

If its long, try and get some sleep or something to pass the time.. Whenever i fly from London to Florida, i try and sleep as much as i can. Any time i cant sleep, i watch a dvd on my portable DVD player or something

My flight trip says 17 to 19 hours (3 hour wait in between flights). I plan on bringing a nice book and a PSP, so I'm hoping that'll keep me occupied enough. Things like Benadryl are controlled substances over in Japan, so I wouldn't be able to use them on the return flight.

I went to Japan a few years ago. The flight from NYC was 14 hours. Make sure you stretch your legs every few hours.

Tokyo and Yokohama are really like one big huge city. Be prepared for a bit of culture shock if you're not used to a crowded environment. Are you going with anyone who speaks Japanese? My wife has most of her family in Yokohama so we were taken out every night so we never had to find somewhere good to eat. You will hear a lot of English though like on the trains.

One thing i liked a lot was taking a Bullet train to Kyoto, Kobe, then to Hiroshima. Those Trains fly along at close to 200mph and they're soo smooth you don't even feel it.

Kyoto is the city where all the old History is, lots of old temples and things to see.

I'm only staying in Tokyo this time, since I only have a week. I've never been to a crowded city before, so it'll be interesting in terms of crowds. As far as speaking, I can speak and read it well enough to get around, so that shouldn't be a problem (working on JLPT 2 at the moment, actually). I am going alone, though. I had about 3 or 4 friends talk about how they'd love to go, but they never ponied up the $$$$.

Make sure you know the laws and customs there as well as the consulate location(s).

Good idea! I still need to write down the American Embassy's number over there, too.

 

[PeteLaramee]

Cool man, enjoy the trip. Make sure you find out the "legal" age.

 

[MrDan666]

My flight trip says 17 to 19 hours (3 hour wait in between flights). I plan on bringing a nice book and a PSP, so I'm hoping that'll keep me occupied enough. Things like Benadryl are controlled substances over in Japan, so I wouldn't be able to use them on the return flight.

Yeah that sucks.. although to be honest i dont always use travel pills, i just find that doing your best to shut your eyes, properly relax your breathing and sleep is the best thing. If need be, take one of those travel pillows or something if you want to get some sleep on the flight.

A good book and PSP will help too, when im not sleeping on flights or journeys in general, i make sure i have something to do.. whether it be listening to music on my MP3 player, or playing on my DS, or watching a film on my portable DVD player. 1 movie will take up atleast 1.5-2 hours, so i try and get through atleast 2 films to wipe out a good 4 hours of the journey!! Time flies when you're concentrating on films Just remember.. no porn though, or you may get thrown off the plane

 

[Mudder]

Nearly every city there has an "american" area where the military guys hang. It's a little rough though, and plenty of street theft and such. But if you're jonesing for home you can check it out.

 

[Code001]

My flight trip says 17 to 19 hours (3 hour wait in between flights). I plan on bringing a nice book and a PSP, so I'm hoping that'll keep me occupied enough. Things like Benadryl are controlled substances over in Japan, so I wouldn't be able to use them on the return flight.

Yeah that sucks.. although to be honest i dont always use travel pills, i just find that doing your best to shut your eyes, properly relax your breathing and sleep is the best thing. If need be, take one of those travel pillows or something if you want to get some sleep on the flight.

A good book and PSP will help too, when im not sleeping on flights or journeys in general, i make sure i have something to do.. whether it be listening to music on my MP3 player, or playing on my DS, or watching a film on my portable DVD player. 1 movie will take up atleast 1.5-2 hours, so i try and get through atleast 2 films to wipe out a good 4 hours of the journey!! Time flies when you're concentrating on films Just remember.. no porn though, or you may get thrown off the plane

That reminds me, I'm also bringing my iPod. Thanks for the tip about the porn. I wouldn't wanna get thrown off the plane at 30k+ ft. in the air.

Nearly every city there has an "american" area where the military guys hang. It's a little rough though, and plenty of street theft and such. But if you're jonesing for home you can check it out.

Yeah, that's Roppongi, and it's filled with foreigners (lots of Africans have come to Japan, apparently). I hear lots of people hate it, but it's in the area where Tokyo Tower is, so I'll be checking it out regardless.

 

[MrDan666]

That reminds me, I'm also bringing my iPod. Thanks for the tip about the porn. I wouldn't wanna get thrown off the plane at 30k+ ft. in the air.

Thats gotta hurt!!!!

 

[vultures]

Make sure you know the laws and customs there as well as the consulate location(s).

Yeah, it's perfectly legal to show your penis if you want, but if your pubes show you're done for!
(thought i heard that somewhere on a japan culture tv show, but i can't be sure)

 

[Code001]

Cool man, enjoy the trip. Make sure you find out the "legal" age.

13, oh yea!!!!!!!!! (unfortunately, most areas have local laws that bump the limit higher.)

Make sure you know the laws and customs there as well as the consulate location(s).

Yeah, it's perfectly legal to show your penis if you want, but if your pubes show you're done for!
(thought i heard that somewhere on a japan culture tv show, but i can't be sure)

In the Meiji era (roughly mid 1800s), they banned showing any body part that's directly involved with impregnating a woman.

 

[mrp5150]

Should be badass Tommy! Take lots of pics desu.

 

[Digital Jams]

American Embassy location and number, yes that is one you want to have in your back pocket. I have not traveled to Japan but I have been to 8 other countries and that is important to have just in case.

Very cool trip esp when you are young enough to really enjoy it, have a blast!

 

[vultures]

In the Meiji era (roughly mid 1800s), they banned showing any body part that's directly involved with impregnating a woman.

That's so random

 

[Code001]

In the Meiji era (roughly mid 1800s), they banned showing any body part that's directly involved with impregnating a woman.

That's so random

Yeah, showing a woman's prolapsing asshole is perfectly fine, but if you show even the vulva, you'll go to jail and/or be fined. The law mainly went into effect after America forced their ports open and decided to "clean up" their culture (Americans saw men and women bathing in hot springs together, and that was considered sinful or something. ).

BTW, I heard the same thing you did years ago on the Howard Stern show and decided to look it up, hence the info.

 

[Shiny_Surface]

I'm gonna be heading to Tokyo tomorrow night. Anyone have any tips for traveling overseas? It'll be my first time ever leaving the country, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

Have fun, report back on those auto toilets with all the washing options

 

[StevieRaveOn]

One of the things I did on my overseas travels was make a couple of copies of your passport ID page, all your credit/debit cards your bringing on a page, and maybe a drivers license, and any other important cards and crap. I didn't sow it into my suit case like is suggested, I just hid a copy REALLY well. And, I wear cargos (engineering nerd), so I always kept a set folded up in an opposite place from my wallet and ID. Like folks mentioned, I'd add the consulate contact info into that batch. It's definitely a worst-case scenario, but it's a good thing to just be able to haul ass with nothing but the clothes on your back and be able to get around/at least into an embassy.




As for the plane, I got my doctor to prescribe some sleeping pills for the flights.... So, if you get them above the table, you shouldn't have much problems with the controlled issue. I went through a lot of airports spending a month in Europe, had them in my bookbag the whole time, and didn't have any problems... not even leaving Amsterdam.





One thing I'd do differently that was suggested and I didn't pay too close attention to is... I'd carry a day's worth of money in whatever the foreign currency is that I'm traveling to. I got burned on this big time... Entering the UK on ship, all I had was Euro (thinking they'd at least be accepted at port locations) and I was detained at Customs being the only American on board. It'd be a good idea to have paper proof of plane tickets and travel plans to leave whatever country you're entering... I didn't, and I flew into Romania and out of London... I had to show them a way out of the country for me. Anyway, in doing all this, I was the LAST person allowed out of the Customs check, by that time the exchange office had closed (was only open for 30mins after deboarding),and the shuttle from the dock to the train station was great and cheap... and only took pounds... I had to wait around a while to find a taxi that'd take Euro.

 

[Code001]

I'm gonna be heading to Tokyo tomorrow night. Anyone have any tips for traveling overseas? It'll be my first time ever leaving the country, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

Have fun, report back on those auto toilets with all the washing options

I'll probably find these in the subways.

 

[Code001]

One of the things I did on my overseas travels was make a couple of copies of your passport ID page, all your credit/debit cards your bringing on a page, and maybe a drivers license, and any other important cards and crap. I didn't sow it into my suit case like is suggested, I just hid a copy REALLY well. And, I wear cargos (engineering nerd), so I always kept a set folded up in an opposite place from my wallet and ID. Like folks mentioned, I'd add the consulate contact info into that batch. It's definitely a worst-case scenario, but it's a good thing to just be able to haul ass with nothing but the clothes on your back and be able to get around/at least into an embassy.

As for the plane, I got my doctor to prescribe some sleeping pills for the flights.... So, if you get them above the table, you shouldn't have much problems with the controlled issue. I went through a lot of airports spending a month in Europe, had them in my bookbag the whole time, and didn't have any problems... not even leaving Amsterdam.

One thing I'd do differently that was suggested and I didn't pay too close attention to is... I'd carry a day's worth of money in whatever the foreign currency is that I'm traveling to. I got burned on this big time... Entering the UK on ship, all I had was Euro (thinking they'd at least be accepted at port locations) and I was detained at Customs being the only American on board. It'd be a good idea to have paper proof of plane tickets and travel plans to leave whatever country you're entering... I didn't, and I flew into Romania and out of London... I had to show them a way out of the country for me. Anyway, in doing all this, I was the LAST person allowed out of the Customs check, by that time the exchange office had closed (was only open for 30mins after deboarding),and the shuttle from the dock to the train station was great and cheap... and only took pounds... I had to wait around a while to find a taxi that'd take Euro.

I have everything photocopied as you said. I have one copy with my family, and I'll be taking the other copy with me on the trip. I also will be bringing proof of my hotel stay, flights, and the such. One thing about Japan is, shops aren't allowed to accept any currency other than the yen, so I'll be forced to exchange all the money I have with me at the airport. I'm thinking the worst part will be trying to figure out the subways, but I have some of those mapped out ahead of time, thanks to those handy online subway route thingies they have.

Keep the tips coming, guys!

 

[Mudder]

I'm gonna be heading to Tokyo tomorrow night. Anyone have any tips for traveling overseas? It'll be my first time ever leaving the country, and I'm not exactly sure what to expect.

Have fun, report back on those auto toilets with all the washing options

I'll probably find these in the subways.

What are the 3 shells for? (oblique movie ref)