Some Photos from Japan

[BiscLimpkit]

My first hotel - Asakusa View. Highly recommended. Great price, nice quiet location (which I prefer). Top floor room with plenty of space. Superb service.


View from the hotel at night. Can see the Senso-ji temple.


Senso-ji at night.


5 story pagoda next to Senso-ji.


You often see these in front of major temples and shrines. You apply the insense fumes on any part of your body that needs fixing.


You also see these. I think it's meant to clense you. The procedure is to wash your left hand, then your right. Then you drink from our left hand and wash your left hand again.


Close up of the tap.


Thought this was cute.


Akihabara, Electric City. You have to visit this 20+ floor shop. It is a geek's wet dream come true. I couldn't stay too long as too much of a good thing makes you blind.


Ghibli Museum bus. I was disappointed the cat bus from Totoro didn't pick us up.


You can only take photos outside at the Ghibli Museum.


The robot from Laputa.


The main crossing in Shibuya. This is mental - stage 1.


Stage 2.


Stage 3. There are so many people, it's nuts. I felt like I was going to war every time I crossed here.


Bento lunch on the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Mmm delish.


Tunnels of Fushimi in Kyoto.


Streets by River Gion at night in Kyoto.


Steps leading up to an outdoor Onsen (public bath and hot spring).


View from the Onsen (absolute paradise).


Chewie rice sweets with bean jam. Kyoto speciality. Delish.


Golden Pavilion in Kyoto.


Inside the Kyoto Tower.


Kyoto at night from the tower.


Top of the main gate at Nazen-ji (temple capital at Kyoto).


Inside the Hojo house at Nazen-ji.


Top of the abbot's hall at Nazen-ji.


Now I'm in Nara (beautiful town - makes a great day trip from Kyoto). This little guy looks cute but...


...he's a friggin monster! He chases tourists for food and bit me in my crotch (luckily I had it tucked in). He almost ate my Japanese Rail pass!


Massive wooden Buddah Statue in Nara.


This hole is the same size as the wooden Buddah's nostrils. It is said that those who can pass through this opening are on their way to enlightenment. I didn't try but I know I can fit through that hole easily.


Forget what this is called... but it's basically battered octopus with loads of lovely toppings. 100% delish.


Kyoto Station is architectuarlly erotic.


Back in Tokyo for round 2. Government building (tallest building in Tokyo and second tallest structure after the Tokyo Tower).


Inside the Government Building observatory (free entrance).


Around the Government Building at night.


The blinding, hallucinogenic lights of Shinjuku.


A love hotel in Shinjuku's sleazy entertainment district.


Argh!!! A Spider leaping from the Mori Tower?


Sci-fi style entrance to the Mori Art Museum.


Tokyo Tower at night.


Toyota showroom (Toyotas are popular cars over there).


Try the cool safety simulator.


Toyota showroom building from the outside.


I made many friends in Tokyo.


Weird but cool desserts resturant in Tokyo. It was like walking through a fantasy forest or something. Soft ballads play in the background. Food was delish.


The mad blur of people in Shibuya.


This was a "world" resturant, serving cuisines from all over the world. We sat in the European section.


Tokyo international forum.


The cosplay enthusiasts of Harajuku - part 1.


Part 2.


Part 3.


Overview of Harajuku bridge, where these school kids come and dress up. Bewildered foreigners walk by and take photos. The kids love the attention.

Ok that's it for now... I maxed out my 1GB memory stick twice, so I still have a ton of photos.

[thelostdragon]

Cute pigeon sign there. "I can get my food by myself."

Nice locations Bisc. How long did you stay again? Was it expensive overall? I'm just asking because you wrote that the hotel you stayed at had good prices. I really wanna go to Japan, but I have heard from like everywhere that it's uber-expensive there.

[Yi-Long]

Looks great, Bisc. I saved the picture of the alley of Kyoto.
I loved Japan when I was there. Did you also experience that feeling of 'piece and safety', even while out at night?
I hadnt really been to temples, just the chinese one that's in the middle of tokyo, which was also in Metropolis Street Racing

[gojensen]

Man it looks clean!

Not what I expected from such a large city. I still woefully remember the stench of Nice.

[grim_tales]

Looks cool Bisc - I want to go to Japan :crybaby:
Was it expensive?

"I can get food by myself" - Cute.

[thelostdragon]

You're a very good photographer, Bisc. Thanks for the pics. Awesome stuff there.

[BiscLimpkit]

Alright gents, time to discuss some of the myths about Tokyo and Japan.

Tokyo is insanely expensive.
False
Tokyo is no more expensive than your typical capital city. In fact, I'd say that my home town (Aberdeen, Scotland) is more expensive than Tokyo. Accommodation price is reasonable (if a little tight spaced) and food and drinks are cheap (if you know where to eat).

There are some items that are more expensive - DVDs and CDs being a prime expample. This is because DVD purchasing is not popular in Japan but DVD renting is.

Westerners often complain about Tokyo's extortionate prices because they get caught in tourist traps - often insisting on eating western style food and staying in overpriced hotels.

Tokyo is very safe and crime rate is low.
True
Tokyo is the safest place I've ever been to. Even solo female travellers should have no problem in remote alleyways in the early hours of the morning. The society is such that resorting to crime is considered shameful and disgraceful. It pays to be cautious however. I've been told that foreign pickpockets (namely from China) prowl the streets.

Tokyo is clean and spotless
True
How does a population of 33 million keep the place so spotless? Everyone does their part to clean up. Nobody litters and you often see shopkeepers cleaning the streets outside their stores prior to opening. When business is slow, everyone takes time to clean windows, polish door handles etc. Japan is so clean that I could drop and sandwich on the ground and still eat it. Pollution is low as everyone uses the excellent rail system, which links every single corner of Tokyo in a collosal network. Trains are frequent (like every 2 mins) and are on time. Rush hours are hilarious though. Furthermore, recyling facilities are everywhere.

It is rude to blow your nose in public.
False
This is the most bogus lie I've ever heard in my life and it's something the Japanese laugh about. I saw so many people blowing their noses proudly - in resturants too.

Japanese always like to talk about the weather
False
I don't remember talking about the weather to everyone. Whoever made up this crap should actually spend some time in Japan.

[BiscLimpkit]

Nice locations Bisc. How long did you stay again? Was it expensive overall? I'm just asking because you wrote that the hotel you stayed at had good prices. I really wanna go to Japan, but I have heard from like everywhere that it's uber-expensive there.

I stayed just short of 2 weeks, which was about right as I need some time afterwards to get rid of this bloody jetlag.

LD, if you travel, I advise either taking a friend or meeting friends there. At least learn enough Japanese to get by. I met up with friends on most nights but Tokyo can be difficult for the solo traveller.

For a good idea of hotels, go to www.tripadvisor.com

They have reviews by actual travellers and not critics. So you should have a good idea of what to expect. Here's my thoughts on the Asakusa View:

The Asakusa View is a multi-storey business hotel that offers excellent views of the Senso-Ji temple area. The rooms are spacious, clean and contain floor to ceiling windows. Complimentary internet access are available in every room. Facilities are excellent - including bars, restuarnts and even a swimming pool. All rooms have so many extras that you only really need to pack clothes and nothing else. The service is absolutely superb and a bit overwhelming. Everyone is so polite that it puts 5 star hotels in the UK to shame. The price per room is also very affordable but it varies depending on season and website (I used expedia).

Please note however that the hotel is located in Asakusa, which is a quiet part of Tokyo located further away from the mad chaos of Shinjuku and Shibuya (skyscraper disctricts). I personally don't like staying in Shinjuku and Shibuya. Although they are fun to visit, I need a little peace and quiet after a hard day's sightseeing and partying. Plus I get lost easily and Japanese roads are not marked the same as Western roads. Asakusa is easy to naviage and the hotel is within minutes walk of major train stations. The excellent rail network means that everything in Tokyo is within easy reach anyway.

[Yi-Long]

So how much did the hotel cost?
Damnnnnnnnnnn I really wanna go back there...
I think I should apply to star in those wacky japanese commercials...
http://www.japander.com/japander/schwarz.htm

[BiscLimpkit]

IIRC £47 a night, which I thought was reasonable (for a single room).

It is a lot cheaper if you share a room with someone. That's why I advise against travelling alone.

[grim_tales]

£47 is pretty expensive.

[BiscLimpkit]

For a capital city... single room... really nice quality of room... i think it's reasonable.

London's a lot more expensive for a single room.

But obviously shared is cheaper.

[thelostdragon]

What the...?

HK was waaay cheaper.

[grim_tales]

I want to go to HK too

[Yi-Long]

How much was HK, LD?

47 sounds expensive indeed. Maybe it's better to go to a smaller city/town outside Tokyo, and get a nice hotel there?

[thelostdragon]

I don't remember exactly, but it was around HK$250 per night which is like €25. And that was the Emperor Hotel where Bey had some contacts and got us a bit of price deduction.

A friend of mine took a room for HK$100 (€10) when he was in HK. It was very basic and tight. The bed literally filled the room and he had a shower. But that's ok if you are there to go out. If you're going to HK in order to stay in the hotel, I'd advise you to look for something more comfortable.

[Yi-Long]

Yeah, when you're in HK you dont spend much time inside anyway. Me and my girl stayed at her grandma's house, and we were only there to spend the night really, rest of the time we were mostly all over HK...
Not much on TV either, although it was great to see they show Letterman each night

[Markgway]

Bisc's right, £49 is less expensive than most London hotels.

Japan is definately on my "to do" list in future when I have the cash.

I love that cute Pigeons sign.

He chases tourists for food and bit me in my crotch (luckily I had it tucked in).

WTF?? Pt.1 Maybe it was a she and couldn't resist "The Bisc"? 8) I don't think I've ever tucked my "it" in but that's just me.

WTF?? Pt.2. Probably not the best idea to post this sentence:

I didn't try but I know I can fit through that hole easily.

below the picture of a boy's ass.

[BiscLimpkit]

LMFAO!

[Yi-Long]

Romero is gonna have a fucking heart-attack when he tries to open this thread with his skimpy dial-up connection

[HungFist]

Hey, that's where they killed Ocho's father






(Sex & Fury)

Sorry, I just had to post a few more pics into this thread

EDIT: Thank God, page two

[bradavon]

AWESOME PHOTOS BISC! Most impressed.

How did you take the night time shots? I always find those so hard, mine usually end up as grain heaven.

Did you go into the Miram Hotel?

Your photos remind me a lot like Bangkok, in many ways it looks similar. Those Computer Game girls look nuts, talk about obsessed.

This was a "world" resturant, serving cuisines from all over the world. We sat in the European section.

Was the food anything like European food? Which countries?

tallest building in Tokyo and second tallest structure after the Tokyo Tower

I presume in Japan?

Hey, that's where they killed Ocho's father

It's where they shot the girl running in Memoirs of a Geisha too I think.

[bradavon]

You've become a bit of an expert really quickly.

Is Japan as male orientated as people say? I've heard men are considered more important than women.

Tokyo is insanely expensive.
False

Phew as it will be my turn come the end of January/early February.

often insisting on eating western style food and staying in overpriced hotels.

Too true. The price of food in Thailand is very cheap but if you eat in say Pizza Hut you'll be paying nearly Western prices.

It is rude to blow your nose in public.
False

Isn't it acceptable to pick your nose?

£47 is pretty expensive.

I'm afraid it's not Grim, certainly not for a "city". I was paying nearly double that for really SHIT room in New York.

As Bisc says £47 is decent for a city.

[BiscLimpkit]

Yeah I'm not trying to boast or anything but I don't think that £47's a lot of money for a little comfort, especially as I'm thousands of miles from home and travelling solo. If you spend anything less than that in Tokyo then the quality might not be too great.

Night time photography is my favourite type. It's really challenging and you can get some amazing results, if you play around with the settings. I'm not an expert but I've learned a few techniques.

1. Use a slow shutter speed.
By doing this, you allow more light to be captured. This is essential if you want see distant city landscapes etc.

2. Keep the camera as rigid as possible.
The best way is to carry a tri-pod. However I like to travel light, so I had to use surrounding objects for help. For example:



Any movement with a low shutter speed allows the image to look blurry and constipated (unless it's intentional). This is why I love taking pictures at night. It's almost like guerilla photography - I try to find anything, from street cones to someone's head, in order to help keep the camera as rigid as possible. Using the timer function helps, because even pressing down on the button to take a picture can shake the camera enough to distort the image.

3. Experiment.
Try out different white balance, light allowance settings etc. Just anything that can spice up your photos at night.

HungFist, thanks for those screen grabs. It's really interesting walking through those tunnels, as there's a lot of history behind them. You often see kids running through them, like in Memoirs of a Geisha.

Did you go into the Miram Hotel?
I didn't stay in the love hotel but was thinking about a little erotic solo action. But for £35 for the privilige, I decided against it.

Was the food anything like European food? Which countries?
Absolutely. The British tend to eat really bland food and it shows in the resturants. For example, the Italian food here is nothing like what I tasted in Rome and Florence. However in Japan, food is serious business. Authentic ingredients are imported every day and the locals love to try the genuine dish. Even a lot of their TV shows revolve around food. The dishes came from France, Italy, Turkey, Spain, Thailand, China, India... etc. On the menu, they are marked with a flag indicating the country of origin.

Is Japan as male orientated as people say? I've heard men are considered more important than women.
Maybe that used to be the case but not anymore. From what I saw in modern Japanese society, women are treated as equals. A lot of women have highly paid jobs in large scale corporations - Sony, Fuji Xerox, Toyota etc. I also saw a news article claiming that more Japanese women chose to be independant - think of their career first before settling down.

Isn't it acceptable to pick your nose?
I don't think so... that's just gross. But my Japanese friend kept farting out loud. He even did a jump fart (farting in mid air). It was embarassing but I had to give him credit, it seems quite difficult to do.

[bradavon]

Yeah I'm not trying to boast or anything but I don't think that £47's a lot of money for a little comfort, especially as I'm thousands of miles from home and travelling solo. If you spend anything less than that in Tokyo then the quality might not be too great.

The only way to stay cheaper with some comfort would be a hostel but of course with those you take on board you get zero privacy and will be paying for Internet access.

1. Use a slow shutter speed.
By doing this, you allow more light to be captured. This is essential if you want see distant city landscapes etc.

Is that the ISO speed? What number do you use?

because even pressing down on the button to take a picture can shake the camera enough to distort the image.

Tell me about it. I usually have more of a problem with the resultant photo being really grainy.

3. Experiment.
Try out different white balance, light allowance settings etc. Just anything that can spice up your photos at night.

I've heard of White Balance but can't get my head around what I'd use it for???

My camera has more options than I reckon I could ever work out what to use them for.

Did you go into the Miram Hotel?
I didn't stay in the love hotel but was thinking about a little erotic solo action. But for £35 for the privilige, I decided against it.

That sounds about right, especially paying Western prices (not that I've paid in the Western, it's a guess). Jeez I wouldn't want to stay there.

Solo action? You can get that for free on your own

I also saw a news article claiming that more Japanese women chose to be independant - think of their career first before settling down.

That definitely is a big change, it's all that Western influence seeping in (it's happening in Thailand loads too). Would you expect to see a man open the door for a woman? I hear not.

I'm most jealous, travelling is probably THE best thing I've ever done and continue to do. I can't wait to go early next year.

What are the top 5/10 things you've done so far? I must do when I go.