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PaperclipPerfector  11d ago (text post)   1940 thread views

Wellness Wednesday for April 24, 2024

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Calling all Japan enthusiasts. Help me plan a trip to Japan.

Weebs not welcome and you must have been to Japan

I think I have a somewhat detailed outline of what I want. The point of this post is for travellers with past experience telling me of things that I would want, but don't even know exist. Also, I would like to be mansplained on what the main cities are known for and their vibes. I know all the names, but they are the same as Toyota, Nissan and Suzuki to me. I.e I am ignorant and might make a few "drive from NYC to LA in a day" errors.

Boring Details:
  • Where: Tokyo and Hokkaido.
  • Duration: 10-14 days.
  • During Late December - Early January. We don't care if it's cold, please don't comment on that.
  • Visitors: Me and my friend, both 26-year-old males.
  • Budget: Obviously as low as possible. No more than 3000-4000 USD.
  • Both of us can drive manual transmission cars.
  • We are okay with sharing a hotel room (even a bed, as long as it's not a single bed).
What we want to do: (Convince me otherwise, or give tips/reccomendations)
  • Eat Sushi, Ramen, Tonkatsu, Wagyu, curry, yoshoku and almost all the Japan-exclusive food I can think of. Yes we do want to visit 7-11 and Lawsons.
  • Drive JDM cars. (There are many rentals)
  • Visit Akihabara.
  • Visit car meets.
  • Ski. (Hence Hokkaido)
  • Do more as opposed to see more.
  • At least one natural feature, Mount Fuji?
  • At least one historical museum/feature.
  • At least one really cool place/museum/whatever.
  • At least one bar with a "cool" crowd. Yeah we don't speak Japanese, but we are willing to try our luck :), We don't need to pick up women or any of that stuff, just socializing with locals is fine.
  • Drive over public transit, bullet trains for long haul trips are fine.
What we don't care for: (Convince me otherwise if you think so)
  • Weeb shit.
  • Luxury. I don't need fancy 5 star hotels. As long as they don't have bedbugs, and we can sleep the night, that's enough.
  • History or culture. Not interested.
  • Scenic pictures.
  • Fancy stuff. Hole-in-the-wall restaurants are preferable to Michelin-starred dining, unless the experience will be truly exceptionally life changing.
  • Onsen or any other "relaxing" thing. Both of us are fit&active and would rather prefer to walk around all day aimlessly than sitting in a jacuzzi or whatever.

As a former Hokkaido resident, I can at least advise you on some of the fun to be had there. As an aside, I personally don't enjoy Tokyo at all, but if it's your first time then it is fine. It certainly has the most stuff in general.

Cars are obviously the best way to get around Hokkaido, as trains are much more limited than in the south. I'm not sure how familiar you are with winter driving, but all cautions apply. The island gets extreme levels of snowfall at times.

For skiing, Niseko is the biggest one, very touristy but just as popular with the locals. There are a couple of ski resorts in the area, Grand Hirafu being the flagship. It's a fantastic mountain, good backcountry areas, spacious lifts, and mind blowing powder if you can catch it. Mt. Yotei is known as Hokkaido's Fuji and is available for backcountry tours, but it's a spectacular sight even if you dont ski it. Other favorites of mine (bearing in mind they are fairly out of the way) are Furano and Kamui ski links. Sapporo Teine and Sapporo Kokusai are good options right outside of the city.

Unfortunately hiking isn't an option in winter, but definitely look into snowshoeing if that's your thing.

For food, soup curry and jingisukan "Genghis Khan" are favorite Hokkaido specialties. Also, Hokkaido ramen is far superior to mainland stuff, especially if you like miso ramen. There is a "ramen alley" in Sapporo with a bunch of popular options. You can also get a great bowl at Chitose airport if you can't wait.

Susukino is the nightlife hub in Sapporo, but you might want to range a bit further out for a quieter izakaya experience.

Don't knock hitting the onsen after a long day of skiing, it's pretty unbeatable especially if you have access to outdoor baths which are wonderful in the winter.

Seicomart is the Hokkaido exclusive conbini so check that out for sure.

In general, Hokkaido is pretty spread out so be mindful of drive times compounded by winter conditions. If you have other specific areas in mind I can share what I know.

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