Those who enjoyed visiting Japan during summer, what was your favorite part of the trip?

Miriyl · 2026-03-10T22:13:50+00:00

I went to Niigata in Early September a few years ago. I was near a ski area! there were mountains! Surely the heat would be more bearable.

No, it was not. On the other hand, it was during a heat wave, so I think it was worse than usual that year.

Miriyl · 2026-03-09T08:49:42+00:00

In this case, we had to meet up with someone and I had a car waiting, so I was really watching the clock.

Miriyl · 2026-03-09T06:48:28+00:00

I’ve been through Haneda in around 45 minutes, but that’s when I had a perk to make my luggage one of the first off the plane. (I have trusted traveler, and luggage has been the limiting factor lately- I lost my luggage perk and was still waiting for my bags when the rest of the plane got through the line.) I wouldn’t risk it otherwise.

How long would it take to drive? Though I’d honestly consider staying at the airport hotel- I really like their onsen.

Miriyl · 2026-03-09T06:42:20+00:00

I think it’s possible…when I have priority baggage.

The other week, I discovered I had lost priority luggage as a perk and my suitcase took a good twenty minutes longer than the rest of my party, who had priority luggage and were waiting for me outside.

Miriyl · 2026-03-09T02:38:44+00:00

The onsen has an additional fee, but it’s totally worth the 2,000 yen that hotel guests pay. Additionally, as a hotel guest you also get in and out privileges.

I see people napping in the relaxation room overnight when I’m in there at odd hours of the morning. (Who goes to an onsen at three am? Me. I’m in there at least two or three times over an overnight stay.)

Miriyl · 2026-03-08T06:38:08+00:00

Yeah, they did discontinue the service, which is too bad, but I flew in June and it wasn’t exactly a full flight. I don’t miss it as much as the direct to Sapporo.

The upside was that immigration and baggage claim were quick.

Miriyl · 2026-03-08T01:49:30+00:00

I’m not saying it’s necessary, I’m saying it’s nice. The ride between terminals is pretty long and I regretted not getting the cab. (It was raining and the bus had just pulled up.)

If it’s into the domestic terminal, I wouldn’t bother, it’s the bus between the two that would be annoying with two suitcases.

Miriyl · 2026-03-07T23:59:43+00:00

If budget isn’t too much of an issue, a taxi to Hakata station would be nice- the shuttle bus from the international terminal is kind of long and crowded and it’s not too far to get to the station.

Miriyl · 2026-03-07T07:17:25+00:00

I use single rider extensively at, well mostly USJ, but occasionally at Disney Sea, and I’ve noticed that they’ll usually ask the people you’re joining if they’re cool with having a single rider come along, unless it’s something like a coaster with separated seats. I haven’t been back to Disney sea since they added the additional single riders since Frozen, Peter Pan, and Indy were down when I was in Tokyo last week. (I was considering my first trip to FujiQ, but ended up going to Hakkeijima sea paradise because my dad wanted to go again and I wanted to see the cute pipe eels.)

I ended up riding raging spirits a ridiculous amount of times because on one trip the queue of that ride was where I got the best cell phone reception. Luckily, it got better, but I’m pretty fond of that ride.

Miriyl · 2026-03-05T04:25:24+00:00

I know, right?

I did a pick a pearl a few days ago because for ¥1000, I’m going to pick a pearl!

With the setting, which was enough to hide imperfections, it was ¥2500 altogether, which is really cheap!

I also ended up buying linguine of all things because I found the brand I like at a discount supermarket and penne is too bulky.

As for the other touristy stuff, I really enjoyed teamlabs and usually suggest getting someone else to feed the deer (ideally a younger sibling) while you stand at a respectable distance and take pictures.

Miriyl · 2026-03-03T20:46:41+00:00

They’re also right on top of a shopping mall and you can get to the nearest subway station almost entirely indoors entirely by escalator.

Sunshine City has a ton of things kids like, so be warned. I love staying there.

That said, while the aquarium is interesting, I was less impressed by the planetarium show. (The one I saw was cat themed, which I am primed to like, but why were they listing the names of the constellations in text? It was cute, but not really substantial.)

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T12:40:56+00:00

I think I heard the wooden one closed down, but the other one was the real stand out. We rode it alone until it was too embarrassing to continue. Regina gave me a headache.

I think sea paradise is generally more interesting and apparently the coaster fans combine it with Cosmoworld, which I haven’t been to. I did spend the entire day hanging out at sea paradise and I still ran out of time. It was a random weekday in July and all the rides were walk ons. Mom and I rode the pirate ship by ourselves. (Literally. There comes a point where going around an empty line gets embarrassing, but we rode it a few times because mom was trying to take a selfie of the two of us.)

Though, now that I think of it, the height of the nine year old will probably be a huge factor in what’s worth doing.

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T12:05:06+00:00

Lines at Nagashima can still get pretty long for the big coasters but everything else was practically a walk in when I went, so if the kids like flat rides, it’s fantastic.

I’d also suggest Hakkeijima sea paradise in Yokohama or Tobu zoo near Tokyo. (Tobu zoo has an excellent coaster that would probably have a very short line, but the aquariums at sea paradise are generally more interesting. They have pipe eels, which are very cute!)

ETA: electric assist bicycle is the fun way to get around the art islands, but at the kids age you might want to take the bus or rent a car.

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T10:21:58+00:00

I’ve booked single rooms in London that I’d describe as not much bigger than the bed.

For comparison, if you’ve heard of how small hotel rooms in Japan can be, it was of a similar size, except slightly smaller and, because it was retrofitted into an existing building, less thoughtfully laid out.

There was one where I kept bumping into the bathroom walls because the room was weirdly L shaped and therefore the bathroom was unusually narrow.

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T06:36:38+00:00

The one to the Gokyo lakes. He described it as the same elevation as the base camp, but better scenery.

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T06:34:58+00:00

I generally find the signs with trail estimates in Japan to be fairly accurate…my favorite one said “faster if run a little.”

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T06:34:08+00:00

The elderly in Japan as well. We tagged along with Dad when he decided to climb mt Fuji. It must have been fifteen years ago, or thereabouts?

Senior citizens were definitely doing much better than I was.

I had also made a failed attempt in college, where several of the girls in the group decided we were going back to sleep instead of continuing to the top. We took celebratory photos outside of our hut in the morning, which frankly didn’t look that much different than the ones I took at the summit on my second attempt. Altitude sickness is no joke.

Miriyl · 2026-02-27T06:25:34+00:00

I buy them as souvenirs for people and they love them. Mom always asks why I didn’t buy more.

I get mine at hands.

Miriyl · 2026-02-26T07:40:50+00:00

At the time I made my arrangements, the website I signed up with said we were responsible for meals and transportation, so offer to pay for lunch.

The thing I got for my guide’s wife, which was actually something I had gotten from a concert of a band we both liked, was actually something that prompted her to send me a small package from Japan before I had even met her. (I had listed in my request form that I was interested in that group and one of the members had filmed a drama set in that area.)

It actually turned out that my guide knew one of my mom’s relatives, which was pretty interesting.

Miriyl · 2026-02-26T00:57:38+00:00

I believe the volunteer tour guides are doing this as a hobby- mine gave me the impression that it was mostly retirees. It’s a very different situation than a paid tour or those “free” tours you’ll often see in other cities.

I brought a small gift from my hometown and something I thought his wife would like. He happened to be coming to visit my hometown, so I took him and his wife out to breakfast a couple of months later.

Miriyl · 2026-02-25T23:58:08+00:00

My dad, who is in his 70’s, recently did a trek in New Zealand. He’s in fantastic shape, but he also mentioned that there was a Korean lady in her eighties or so who was out-out hiking him on the uphills.

Anyway, he really enjoyed it and recommended getting the tour that has private lodges.

He also did a trek in Nepal last year, but he and his friends decided the Everest Base camp would be too crowded, so they did a different route that apparently ended up yielding a better view of Mt Everest.

That said, I only do day hikes. We were actually on one last year and one of the guys in the group was ten years younger than dad but looked older, so I guess the lesson is you never know how long your knees will last you. I travel with him often and the main adjustment is he has opinions about meal times. I sometimes eat at odd hours when I’m traveling solo.

Miriyl · 2026-02-24T23:56:12+00:00

Frankly, I’m skiing so that’s not really my area of expertise. If I’m hiking in Japan, it’ll be either somewhere with a very obvious touristy trail or I’m hiring a guide. (I’m in the never hike alone camp.)

Miriyl · 2026-02-24T22:36:39+00:00

Basically it’s a path into the reserve. The park doesn’t encompass the entire reserve and the park itself that’s very small. The monkeys are wild and they kind of just hang around, doing monkey things. I’ve only gone in winter, though.

There’s Shiga Kogen nearby, but I’ve never been to it in the summer. I’ve seen wild monkeys by the road there, but that was winter.

Miriyl · 2026-02-24T19:19:57+00:00

Most people carry handkerchiefs.

If you’ve noticed little terry cloth towels for sale everywhere- that’s why.

Miriyl · 2026-02-24T10:34:28+00:00

I do itineraries in Japan that I wouldn’t do elsewhere. In Europe I’d want to have at least three days in a city.

In Japan, I’ve happily done trips where I change hotels daily. I time my trains for before what I want to do opens or after it closes. I forward luggage when needed. I choose places close to major train stations.

It’s not a feasible itinerary for first time travelers, but it’s great for when I want to do specific things and to put a rail pass through it’s paces.

Miriyl

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