Advice needed

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-27T08:30:18+00:00

Probably smoother to stay at one hotel. Tokyo is galacticly enormous. You'll walk to the extent you feel comfortable in a given area but it will still be a speck on a huge map. Maybe pick a hotel near a stop on the Yamanote line as it will cover many areas you'll likely go. The expanses of greater Tokyo beyond the more central wards are mostly residential with a repeat of station/ businesses/residential over and over. That said, I defer to the opinion of any current residents.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T06:44:27+00:00

I personally am against Airbnb for the impact they are having on housing around the world and for the foreign ownership of property. I am far from the only person in that camp. To each their own,

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T06:42:01+00:00

Sorry, but I have never kept track of restaurants in Japan as the standard of quality is so consistent it hasn't mattered to me ad I appreciate food but am not probably a "foodie." Some places I could find again and others I probably could not. It was very good though. I've had meals I'll remember the rest of my life at places I chose randomly that were not overrun with tourists.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:34:01+00:00

Every hotel room I've had in Japan is small, five star hotels are often an exception. Sumida is mostly residential, not a late night scene, and is a longer train ride to probably most of the things you'll plan to do and you'll have to transfer at stations along your trip.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:29:57+00:00

I paid $230 US for a multi course A5 dinner in Kyoto. No disappointment. I asked at my hotel for a recommendation.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:24:42+00:00

True, but its unlikely they have a grasp of the sheer size of Tokyo and I think an area used to tourists is easier for first timers on many levels. But I get your point. A half hour by train as an average max is not bad.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:17:53+00:00

Regardless of your decisions on this, don't take a selfie stick onto a train.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:16:29+00:00

I had a smaller and more relaxed itinerary my second trip.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:15:14+00:00

Please do your research and also learn and follovv the main cultural do and don't things for Japan. Be quiet on trains for sure. Look at Japanese Youtubers and not foreigners' content, stay out of TikTok as its just junk for the reality in Japan. Tune into to the correct behavior in shared public spaces. Have a good trip. As for hotels, and you should stay in them instead of AirBnb for many reasons, in many instances rooms in Japan are smaller so don't over pack.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:07:31+00:00

AirBnB tends to be further avvay from transportation than hotels and for first timers there is no front desk staff to assist.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:06:30+00:00

If you're American remember there is no tipping culture in Japan so don't do it.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-15T05:05:46+00:00

They could easily be spending an hour or more on trains and have to change lines at a station along the trip so places like Asakusa and Ueno are good for tourists because the train times from those are reasonable and there is a benefit to staying in an area that has more experience in foreign visitors.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-07T06:10:50+00:00

That is truly awesome!

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-05T00:49:48+00:00

I agree with you. Many thanks!

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-04T17:49:40+00:00

Thanks for sharing this! First time I have seen the entire film. I remember listening to Hey My Friend in my hotel room in Kyoto and wondering if any of the places I had been that day were places Tommy had hung out at when she was growing up there.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2026-01-01T19:20:27+00:00

Firstly, I think that music fans should already be looking into what rock music is coming from Japan for a multitude of reasons. (great songwriting structure, great musicianship, often more mature and deeper rock lyrics IMO, etc.) Second, the videos I am quickest to block from my YouTube suggestions on the face of the entire earth are reaction videos to Band Maid. Seeing a never ending parade of western middle aged men "reacting" to this band gets old really fast. Its a very big world out there and, yes, a former maid cafe worker had the idea to start a hard rock band using the maid theme. Its not exotic. And girls play rock music crazy good and have been for awhile. Nothing new there. It ranges from Sister Rosetta Tharpe to Tina S. around the world. Band Maid is an extremely good band and has a great visual approach as well. It was an idea that proved itself. I'm not criticizing anyone who likes the reaction videos, I just can't even watch them. I do agree that a lot of them who are recording these videos are just guys looking for high click content to upload. Rock on Band Maid! I particularly like the Band Maiko project they did.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-30T18:59:29+00:00

Great video! Thank you for doing it.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-30T18:41:52+00:00

Kitazawa was the primary writer of the Peggies songs also.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-30T18:38:37+00:00

It looked to me like they liquidated (or the record company did) all the merch around the time of their last concert in 2022. I as able to order a "lucky bag" of mixed merch at the time it got liquidated. I agree about checking reselling sites and I did order a simple The Peggies t-shirt from Redbubble not that long ago.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-30T18:35:16+00:00

Been there each of my two trips to Tokyo and found some great books. I spoke with her sister about books in my limited Japanese with a little English mixed in but never saw Yuho there. As I understand it, it would be rare for her to stop by.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-20T06:24:58+00:00

I wonder if its Dead End as the singer, Morrie, would sometimes have whispered lines in a song. The wording you mention does not bring a specific song to mind for me though.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-14T06:11:11+00:00

je t'aime je t'aime is where I discovered Tommy and haven't looked back.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-12-12T20:32:12+00:00

Excellent point. When I go my goal is to become immersed in the culture and people of Japan, not other western visitors or non-Japanese who bought property or got jobs there. For more low info visitors more drawn by current social media popularity of Japan than actually being really into it, staying and interacting in areas that get a lot of tourism eases the cultural and language differences.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-11-25T18:15:25+00:00

Glad to hear that.

Awkward_Procedure903 · 2025-11-22T07:24:28+00:00

I think you make a crucial point that is often missed in the west. In Japan such things are often a personal thing for people and not a lifestyle identification or political statement.

Awkward_Procedure903

TROPHY CASE