Mostly hip hop but when it comes to shows its usually more fun to see something different someone else brings me to. Have struggled to appreciate some EDM shows before, but also been to great ones.
Schedules for the clubs recommended by @mtvcribs seem to go out 4 or 5 months. My plan is to use those schedules to listen to a bunch of artists before I go to pick out a few shows. Thank you, im excited about this
Well then, the lineup and exact info for next year’s POP YOURS is not yet known but keep an eye on this page:
It’s a big Japanese Hip-Hop festival in Makuhari Messe (same place where the TGS is held every year) usually held in May.
Otherwise a great starting point for meeting Hip-Hop fans in Shibuya is Family.
we’re going to japan for 3-ish weeks in april. we’ll mostly be in the kansai region, but have a lot of flexibility. this is our second trip and we did most of the big ticket items the first time we went.
with that in mind, any recommendations for off the beaten path things to see or towns to visit? i hate looking stuff like that up online since it’s all chat gpt blogs now and i trust the fine people of this forum way more.
If you fancy a really good day trip, try Mount Koya. It‘s a mountain covered in shrines, forests and a pretty amazing cemetery. Despite the tourists it is very peaceful. It will take at least a couple of trains each way and when you get there you’ll need to get a bus as well but it is totally worth it.
I believe it is where an esoteric form of Buddhism was born and there are a lot of sites related to that. If you get there very early you can watch the morning rituals. There is a small town and a few restaurants. The set meal dining restaurant didn't have any tourists in when we went because you have to put your name down on a wait list. Learn to write your name in katakana and the staff will be happily surprised and will take care of you. I had a good set meal and when I ordered a beer, they asked what size. I knew ookii (big) and said that and I got brought the largest beer I've ever seen. Top three best days of my life including getting married and finding a Sega Lost World arcade machine that gave 5 lives per credit instead of the normal 3.
Do check the last train times when you get there. We almost hecked it and missed it.
@MoH In the Kansai region in April :
❶ the Sagawa museum at the South of lake Biwa.
❷ Kōbe in general.
❸ anything Inland Sea / Setonaikai all the way south to Hiroshima.
❹ I don’t think we know yet what’s up in April at the Tezuka Museum in Takarazuka but check their updates just in case.
❺ Both baseball season and soccer season will have restarted so you could catch a local game. Many of the stadiums are pretty charming.
mount koya was actually on my list, so your high praise is a good sign. last time we were there we went to nikko, which i guess is still pretty touristy, but it was a big highlight for me. it looks like getting there from osaka is the best bet?
@chazumaru sagawa looks awesome. we’ll actually be spending a few days on naoshima so this is right up our alley. we were actually debating on going to hiroshima, but i was a little iffy since we’ll be going to so many other cities. i think setonaikai will be a good compromise. on that note, what’s to do in kobe?
@MoH yeah, we went from Osaka. It’s a couple of hours by train but the scenery is great. Some articles about it made it sound like a huge effort with loads of trains and you should stay overnight but that was either out of date or overblown. We just followed HyperDia/Google map train directions and were fine.
@MoH The inland sea is very relaxing. Maybe something easy and accessible would be Awaji Island.
Great night life city. People are super chill and open to discuss (same in Hiroshima). Cool city to stroll around.
@chazumaru perfect for a flâneur man-about-town type like myself. i actually spoke to my wife and apparently she had already planned on going to kobe lol
Anyone know of any cool museums dedicated to one specific thing? I always find those fascinating.
@HeavenlyHalberd oooh I would also love to know this. In the middle of planning a trip in the Fall right now.
@HeavenlyHalberd like what, the 大名時計博物館 (Daimyo Clock Museum?) Not sure if this is what you mean.
https://livejapan.com/ja/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-ueno/spot-lj0002029/
@Neko This is EXACTLY what I’m looking for. Something dedicated to a very specific niche field or subject/thing.
@HeavenlyHalberd i would check out jalan.net for booking hotels and museums at stuff, usually at a discount from western pricing sites!
I know the Toylets from Yakuza Kiwami 2 were a real thing at one point but do those or similar toilet meets video game experiences still exist, and if so, where can I find them? This is on my bucket list, people.
If/when I travel to Osaka again, I am going to visit this bakery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0DZ_hFIcwE
@thecianrice Hey! I wanted to reply to your post here. I went to Japan for the first time in January and stayed in Tokyo (outside of a lovely day trip to Hakone), so I’m not the most knowledgeable person here but can respond to a few of your questions
“Interesting museums worth visiting (I’m going to the manga museum in Kyoto, for example)?”
I’m interested in art, so most of my recs will be in that realm (ymmv depending on your interests):
Nezu Museum - I believe this is a collector’s private collection. Very pretty outdoor gardens that are nice to stroll through and then a selection of textiles and artifacts inside
Mori Art Museum - this is a really cool museum without a permanent collection, so you’ll get something different each time you go. You’ll have to book tickets for the specific exhibit you’ll want to see. The main gallery is one of the best places to watch the sunset in the city (very high up, they have an entire room dedicated to just watching the sunset)
Ota Museum - I didn’t make it to this one but my friend is a big fan. It’s focused on woodblock painting, which I love. Very high priority for my next time in Japan
Tokyo Art Center - I was devastated that this place was not open when I was there. The architecture is beautiful - seems like a very cool space
TeamLabs - if you’re looking for something a bit different, this is a “full body experience” “museum” (not sure I’d call it a museum…). I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. You wade through water, walk through hanging flowers, lie and stare at an IMAX ceiling… It’s very trendy and instagrammable
Museums in Ueno Park - there’s quite a few here and I didn’t get the chance to go to them. The Tokyo National Museum seems like it has a pretty great collection.
Hakone Open Air Museum - this was my favorite museum of the trip, but it is out in Hakone, which is a day trip from Tokyo. Really cool pieces and some neat features like a foot bath with water from the hot springs
“Hiking recommendations in the areas I mentioned are always welcome”
“Cafes in Tokyo or Osaka that are good for working from (I’ll be working remotely a couple days while abroad)”
Have any travellers or residents of Japan ever spotted a Sega Jurassic Park Lost World machine in a game center in Tokyo?
It's one of my favourites and I haven't played it in 20-ish years. I have a few days left here and would love to credit feed to the end.
