what does low key mean? vibe or price?
i went to sushi kunimitsu recently in higashi-nakano and it was very low key, but maybe not in pricing. reservations required.
if you want a walk-in place, you’ll probably be better served by a national chain like sushi midori : 渋谷店 - 梅丘寿司の美登利
this will have a ticket machine at the front so you can get your place in the queue.
i’ve also been to the sister restaurant of the one that chaz recommended and it was very good, but i wouldn’t describe it as low key at all. (nothing in nishi-azabu really is lol)
This thread will be a trusted resource for me in October when I make my first visit. So pumped! I was going to go with my partner, but they are having to pull out due to some extenuating circumstances, so it looks like I’ll be traveling alone for at least part of the trip! My family will be there for the first half. I haven’t ever really traveled alone before so I’m a little worried about that especially with the language barrier but it will probably be good for me.
Any tips for traveling alone specificially? Japan, but also tips for anywhere honestly
I travel alone a lot, and have traveled to Japan by myself (+ am doing it again in September). In the cities, there will be basically no language barrier to speak of. On occasion you may run into a non-English speaker, but it’s not that common and everyone is extremely helpful. Outside of the cities you may not have as much luck, but it’s not really going to be a major issue for a resourceful person.
My one thing to watch out for is the foreigners who wave you down in the streets. They might come try to shake your hand or something. Just ignore them completely, don’t even nod or say hi or they will follow you. They’re really just a nuisance more than anything else.
It’s a very safe place to travel so not really much else to worry about in that regard. One great thing about Japan is that there’s a culture of solo dining, so don’t be afraid to eat at a restaurant alone. It’s expected and typically a great dining experience.
Besides that, as a westerner it may surprise you how many things require a reservation. If there are certain spots you want to hit for food or activities, I would make sure that you check if reservations are required well in advance of the trip. I remember being unable to go to the Capcom bar, and also being unable to go into a VR Arcade. Both are probably gone now but still!
Good tips on the above—will be happy to chime in with more specific ones as well many others in the thread, but for now I’d advise to pick up at least a little bit of Japanese. Even if it’s not very much and you don’t get to use it, I’ve found at least trying to use the language opens a lot of doors and makes for a more pleasant experience for all parties, especially if you get off the beaten path.
Bragging a bit but my Japanese has gotten exponentially better with each subsequent time I’ve come here. Exceptions abound of course but most people are more than happy to talk. meeting and becoming fast friends with Japanese people is one of my favorite parts of each trip. I never get tired of the look of surprised delight on older peoples faces when they see someone that looks like me busting it down in some 日本語.
Great thanks everyone. and great tip on the reservation. I do tend to be a more in the moment person, but I think following Brandon’s advice up the thread and picking one thing each day to build the day around is a good way to go about it. I also love trains so navigating the stations and doing that kind of thing will be really enjoyable for me too.
I’m planning on going to Tokyo for approx 1.33 weeks, Kyoto for .66 weeks, both with family and then head to Osaka > Okayama area for 1 week on my own with the eventual goal of reaching Naoshima before heading back to tokyo to return to the states. I’m planning to go end of October to beginning of November so I need to start making an itinerary
They try to coerce travelers into illicit activities. Lots of horror stories about it. If you give them the time of day they’re going to start talking about sex work or at least that’s the tactic they used on a solo white guy. They’re scam artists basically, it’s a whole crazy thing. I don’t want to expound too much on a subject I don’t actually know the history and breadth of, but I’ve heard more than once that it’s an organized crime sort of thing
I was really nervous about it (foreign country etc.), but went to the doctor today after struggling with an infected ingrown toenail the past few weeks. I had to pay 4000 yen for the doctor visit and another 4000 yen for the medication. Could be a lot worse…
I was surprised not even the doctors here in Tokyo speak any English, but we managed to communicate with google translate.
The pharmacy was incredibly scary tho, the young lady at the counter was throwing questions at me in super fast japanese and staring me down when i didnt understand them.
I made her speak into google translate and she was like interrogating me why i dont have national health insurance and when i said ryokou / “im traveling” she wasnt satisfied.
They ended up giving out EXACTLY as many doses of antibiotics as prescribed (21 pills). In Austria they just throw a whole pack and some extra at you lol.
oh i thought you were talking about clueless australians who are lost and not nigerian touts. that puts a different spin on your post and my subsequent joke.
nothing is going to happen unless you’re in kabukicho or, like, red light districts. just don’t go to a bar that someone seems really insistent on taking you to.
antibiotics are typically not handed out willy nilly, to prevent over usage because create anitbiotic resistant diseases is one of the biggest threats facing humanity! That’s typical in the US too
this is a lot worse than what I was expecting, the classic here would you like some beads / flowers / etc presumably for free, and then they accost you until you pay them money.
It’s very unfortunate and very sad, but just ignore them and you’ll be fine. As I said it’s just a nuisance in practice. They prey on lonelier, less savvy travelers
