Anyone visited Japan?

[Power_uP]

I had hoped to visit Japan a few times, so far I haven't but maybe one day. I actually came close in 2012, but lets just say that people are good at wasting my time.

Has anyone here been? What was it like?

I hope that if anyone here has visited Japan then they can share some stories and advice for those who also want to visit. A former colleague of mine visited and told me that you don't see any tuned Skylines and Supras during the daytime, but they all mysteriously congregate at night somehow.

[Bean]

Giving advise generally is tricky as every personis different in what they cinsider a good time.
My best advice I can give you from my experience there is learn at least a few phrases in Japanese - this will help a lot when trying to engage with the locals. This becomes especially important if you go beyond the beaten tourist paths.

Also, though for me this is common sense, learn their most basic customs. For one not to embarrass yourself too much (a little embarrassment is sometimes necessary when trying to get the locals to speak in English) but even more important not to offend and embarrass them.

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[Power_uP]

I plan on going to Japan in about 10 years from now, so I'll be sure to learn as much Japanese as I can before then. I've had a huge interest in Japan for almost 30 years, so I hope I know enough to avoid embarrassing myself. There's always something that can catch a person out though.

Is driving in Japan difficult? It looks confusing when I watch videos of people driving, maybe I should get a taxi when I'm there?

Maybe there could be a AEU86 group trip? I'm only joking, I saw what happened when JonT tried to organise a group trip to the Nordschleife on here.

[mad.matt]

I'm hoping to go for my 30th next year with my Wife to Be, Louise.

Basing around Tokyo and doing a mix of Car things and Tourist things:
- Nara Deer Park
- Daikoku Futo
- Fun2Drive Hakone Turnpike Experience
- UpGarage/Super Autobacs
- Disneyland Tokyo
- AE86 specialty garages
- Tsukuba Circuit (if there's anything on)

We are getting a cheap rental car to get us about but will probably be relying on Public Transport (Citymapper is a godsend!) as much as possible. They drive on the left and the rentals are equipped with ETS for the Tolls. Their road signage is also in Romaji (Standard Type characters for Japanese place names) which makes it easier to navigate if you don't read Japanese.

I'll no doubt be going back with my Brother and Mate sometime so want to make sure Lou gets enough out of it

[Power_uP]

Nara deer park looks cool, I plan on visiting that one someday. If you're going there then you might want to look at fox village too.

I honestly had no idea there was a Disnepland in Japan though, I think I'll give that one a miss as the only Disnep franchise I've been a fan of lately is Lightning Mcqueen.

My colleague went to daikoku futo, said it was awesome. He speaks some Japanese and his wife lived there for a while so he has an advantage. I tried learning Japanese a few years ago and while languages were my best subject in school, Japanese was like trying to understand quantum physics. If I lived in a country with an insane alphabet like that I think I would go on strike until they changed it to something easier.

Maybe it'll work perfectly for you, but driving in Japan looks scary to me and I don't know how they do it. I gotta say though, I wish the UK had roads that were as well maintained. I've buckled a few wheels on potholes here, but I've never seen a bad road in Japan (though I'm sure they exist somewhere).

[banpei]

I came close when I was 26, but then I met my future wife and didn't go. Then I used the money to buy my first AE86 (you have to make choices) and never actually got the money or the time to go...
I keep hoping one day I'll be able to visit on a business trip.

[Bean]

First time I whent was just after I met my now wife and then it took me several years to convince her to go there together.
Now we are struggling to find the time to go again

We still hope to be posted there for work 4 years *it's one of the most desirable postings so chances are slim but we can always hope*

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[Power_uP]

I had the money to go in 2008, friends said they would only go if I paid for it. It took me until 2012 to get the money to pay for two people. I asked around again (offering to pay for one person to tag along), but everyone had other excuses so I spent the money on other things.

Here's some advice: Don't ever ever ever say "I'll go if you pay for it" if you don't actually intend to go when someone offers to pay. You're just wasting everybody's time.

I try to always watch any documentaries about Japan that are on the TV. They always make the place look awesome, if only other countries maintained their culture in the same way.

Does anyone here have a list of cool AE86 related stuff? Here's what I was thinking:

-Tsukuba circuit
-Tec-arts and Shapple
-86 festival
-Tokyo auto salon (maybe?)

[Power_uP]

You guys still want to visit Japan?

I'm still looking forward to it, I've seen some of those things before. A friend of mine imported a few Mitsubishi Pajeros a while ago and he showed me some of the dead bugs he found in one of them. I guess its not the country for arachnophobes and stuff, but most of it doesn't bother me much.

[Bean]

In my time I spent there I never came across any creepy crawlers. Even in tge countryside.

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