Heading to Asia Soon

Jeez, Roppongi is where all the gaijin hang out, why would you want to hang out with Americans in Tokyo? Get out of there at least once and hang with the locals. And be sure to visit the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park at least once in your life.
Anyway, gadget shopping in Japan is an amazing experience. But forget Akihabara, head for Nishi-shinjuku, prices there are much better than Akihabara. Sakura-ya is my favorite cheap electronics place in nishishinjuku. Forget the duty free shops like LAOX. You can do the same at any good shop, just ask the store for an export tax waiver (I'll have to go look up the Japanese name for it). You can avoid paying sales tax if you sign a little sheet that says you're exporting the devices. I saved a bundle with those little waivers.

Hyatt hotels are first class. Enjoy.

oh.. P.S. Exchange ALL your money at Narita, immediately upon arrival. You'll always get the best exchange rate at the airport, usually at least 3 percent better than a hotel. Don't worry about carrying huge amounts of cash, it's relatively safe. Don't bother with credit cards, most places don't take cards, and most card companies impose a 2 to 3 percent service charge on Yen/dollar transactions (well, mine did at least). When you leave, exchange all your yen back to dollars at Narita (don't forget to pay your departure tax first).

I've been to both Tokyo and Seoul. Both are wonderful cities. One day in Seoul is not enough, especially if you are doing business. If you can get a few hours free time it's probably worth it to do some hiking in the mountains. While Seoul is much lower key than Tokyo, escaping to the mountains is easy and great.

Feel free to email me, I could probably make a few recommendations if you want any.

Jeremy,

Roppongi is interesting for its nightlife but as a geek you MUST visit the Akihabara neighboorhood: it's the district with all the hi-tech shops. Everytime I go to Tokyo, I spend a full day there. Where else in the world can you find a shop with HIPPI cards on its shelves? I don't know how much time you have but there are a lot of things to do there. If you want more ideas, let me know. Oh, before I forget: If you happen to be in Tokyo at lunch time on a Sunday, go to the entrance to the Meiji shrine next to the Harajuku train station: you'll see the biggest crowd of teenage-freaks you ever seen! Have fun, Tokyo is a great place!

Best advice... before you go, get yourself a vonage account, and bring the little cisco box with you. Want to make a call to someone in the states? jack it in et voila, you've got a 408 number while you're sitting in Tokyo, making the call for free.

I guess that means you're not going to be at php-con. Damn. You'll be missed.

Oh and I'd agree about the Vonage tip. That's a great way to travel. You could even try seeing if you can use it through your laptop's wifi.

Everyone seems to miss out on one thing you can't miss while in Japan: the food! Eat at a ramen shop at least once (but remember that the natives advise that you not drink the broth), have yaki-niku while you are there. Find a good tempura restaurant, and have some chicken katsu. And most importantly, eat at least once at Hokka-Hokka. I lived in Japan for two years, loved the people, did the shrines, and oogled the electronics, but it's the food I miss the most ;)

I was suppose to be there this weekend and work caught up with me :(

Tell us about the 777! The one plane I haven't yet got a chance at a ride on.

Also, have you ever been to the Air Races in Reno?

BDKR

I didn't get to go to the Reno Air Race this year, no. I wanted to. Maybe next year.

Perhaps International Man of Wasabi?

I'm not sure what kind of plane this was, but on the flight from Chicago to London we had a TV for each and every seat. It was great! I believe American Airlines and British Airways offer these flights.

I'm not sure what kind of plane this was, but on the flight from Chicago to London we had a TV for each and every seat. It was great! I believe American Airlines and British Airways offer these flights.

Have a great time while out there and hope that you learn a lot of new and interesting things!

You need to get your shit together. You are about to undertake a journey that most of us only dream about and you are burbling.
Regards
Robert.

Charles' suggestions are great. If you haven't done so and you have time, take a train or cab to "Harajuku-eki" ("eki" means "station"). Ask for/go to "eki-mae" (front of station). This will put you at the top of "Omote-sando" which is one of the coolest streets you will ever visit. Behind the station you will see the 1964 Olympic Stadium, and across from that, Meiji-jingu (Meiji Shrine). As Charles wrote, on a Sunday afternoon, there are usually hordes of kids done up in some pretty funky outfits (their weekly release from the usual conformity/homogeneity which Japanese society expects of them). Walk through the Shrine, pose w/the kids; it's a lot of fun. If time allows, you MUST walk from the station all the way down Omote-sando to Aoyama-dori, cross the street, and walk back up to the station on the other side. Many, many stores, Japanese pop-culture at its best and most outrageous. Do not miss: the huge condom store on a corner with an enormous picture of a dancing condom on the front, "Kiddy Land" (a multi-storey toy store), Several beautiful and affordable antique stores, the sushi bar near Kiddy Land where you sit at a counter and pick the sushi you want off a revolving belt in front of you, and plenty of other sights, sounds, and smells. If you're not shy, try to go to a bathhouse, too; ask at the hotel if there are any fairly close by. It's hard to find neighborhood bathhouses nowadays, since most city families now have private baths, but if you can find one you will not regret the experience. Have a wonderful time, and remember, you do not have to tip in Japan.

Charles' suggestions are great. If you haven't done so and you have time, take a train or cab to "Harajuku-eki" ("eki" means "station"). Ask for/go to "eki-mae" (front of station). This will put you at the top of "Omote-sando" which is one of the coolest streets you will ever visit. Behind the station you will see the 1964 Olympic Stadium, and across from that, Meiji-jingu (Meiji Shrine). As Charles wrote, on a Sunday afternoon, there are usually hordes of kids done up in some pretty funky outfits (their weekly release from the usual conformity/homogeneity which Japanese society expects of them). Walk through the Shrine, pose w/the kids; it's a lot of fun. If time allows, you MUST walk from the station all the way down Omote-sando to Aoyama-dori, cross the street, and walk back up to the station on the other side. Many, many stores, Japanese pop-culture at its best and most outrageous. Do not miss: the huge condom store on a corner with an enormous picture of a dancing condom on the front, "Kiddy Land" (a multi-storey toy store), Several beautiful and affordable antique stores, the sushi bar near Kiddy Land where you sit at a counter and pick the sushi you want off a revolving belt in front of you, and plenty of other sights, sounds, and smells. If you're not shy, try to go to a bathhouse, too; ask at the hotel if there are any fairly close by. It's hard to find neighborhood bathhouses nowadays, since most city families now have private baths, but if you can find one you will not regret the experience. Have a wonderful time, and remember, you do not have to tip in Japan.

hey, what a nice blog, thx 4 the info. ;)

Did you know there is a new cool and intimate new sushi place in Rome which offers high quality Japanese foods for eating or take-away, and offers great hand-made cakes and free wifi to all customers?
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elsphit
http://naoko-sushi-roma.blogspot.com/ Click to Visithttp://naoko-sushi-roma.blogspot.com