11–20 of 308 posts
Didn’t like Kyoto as much the second time around but I spent a lot of time outside the big cities and it is such a beautiful country with lovely people.
> Note that Japanese reviewers are substantially pickier than you are No kidding, I see lots of reviews like: food is tasty, service was friendly, price reasonable. 3 stars.
Now up these in anyway and star rating should go to 4 or 5.
> Note that Japanese reviewers are substantially pickier than you are No kidding, I see lots of reviews like: food is tasty, service was friendly, price reasonable. 3 stars.
Lovely. Spent 3 months in Kyoto in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, and loved Japan, more than my other quick business trips in the past. Some of my notes, specific to Kyoto, but unsure whether they also apply elsewhere: Typical food in KYOTO: - aristocratic kaiseki ryori course dinners - vegetarian shojin ryori of monks - simple obanzai ryori home style cooking - Kyo-wagashi (Kyoto sweets) - Yudofu (tofu cook…
Also, this list specifically recommends the APA hotel chain, whose president leaves copies of his revisionist history book denying the Nanking Massacre in their hotel rooms, often in foreign languages[1]. There are quite a few nationwide hotel chains in Japan like Dormy Inn and JR METS as well as thousands of independents, most of which are listed on price comparison websites and will come in around the same cost as a room at APA. Please consider supporting another hotel, ideally a local one, before APA :)
[1] = many sources, see: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2017/01/25/national/despit... https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/book-foun...
> Note that Japanese reviewers are substantially pickier than you are No kidding, I see lots of reviews like: food is tasty, service was friendly, price reasonable. 3 stars.
> Note that Japanese reviewers are substantially pickier than you are No kidding, I see lots of reviews like: food is tasty, service was friendly, price reasonable. 3 stars.
And American reviewers are pretty much the most generous out there. My rule of thumb is that a 3.5 rating by Japanese equates to a 4.5 rating by Americans. Seriously.
"Very few people take me up on this part of the recommendation: get out of the cities if you are here for more than a week in your life." Same situation for visitors to the UK. I've given up trying to tell tourists to get out of London, they never listen.
Going off the beaten path always amuses me a bit as advice (what happens when everyone decides to do that?) but it's also quite true that you can often be literally tens of metres away from the most touristic locations with barely any tourists actually around you in most places (exceptions include cities that have become theme parks like Venice).
Seriously just pick a random city from Japan Guide or go to an onsen. Visit Kyushu, it's beautiful and nobody seems to travel there because it's too far away :P
Lovely. Spent 3 months in Kyoto in 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, and loved Japan, more than my other quick business trips in the past. Some of my notes, specific to Kyoto, but unsure whether they also apply elsewhere: Typical food in KYOTO: - aristocratic kaiseki ryori course dinners - vegetarian shojin ryori of monks - simple obanzai ryori home style cooking - Kyo-wagashi (Kyoto sweets) - Yudofu (tofu cook…
What about Kyoto vs Tokyo? Is there also the "small city" experience (calmer streets, slow people) in those cities, in places away from the center, perhaps?