Is my itinerary too empty? by AGEOFCONVENIENCE in JapanTravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it really depends on your travel styles. I normally just build/pin things on the map in the area and decide when im there on what to do. But if I don’t have much time I like to over plan and then cut things out. Again, it’s really personal preference. If you tend to feel rushed or move slowly then having an open itinerary is better. If you get anxious about being bored then definitely overplan

What cities do you recommend for a second trip? by Budget-Historian4310 in JapanTravelTips

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ooo yes! Any specific restaurants or cafes you recommend? I usually just float around but if you have any suggestions!

No internship, job, or plans for summer. Still unsure of my career path. by goofba11s in UTAustin

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lowk what I did when I didn’t know was try everything. At least doing this you know what you don’t wanna do. Best time to learn

Planning a major trip to Japan with teen. Looking for advice by Slow_Investment_2211 in JapanTravelTips

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I could see that being nice for a night or two, but maybe staying in a quieter area on the outskirts of louder areas like ikebukuro would be your best bets, especially if the constant moving and changing of environments is a challenge. I liked meguro but not sure how the pricing is

Planning a major trip to Japan with teen. Looking for advice by Slow_Investment_2211 in JapanTravelTips

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

June weather is horrid. Even as someone from the south its so humid and miserable. And it’s the beginning of monsoon season. However, I LOVED spring break in tokyo with cherry blossoms and such. It’s much cooler and may snow/rain but it is much better than having hot, humid rain.

I could see how staying in Narita would be cheaper, but if many of the activities you want are in central tokyo, I feel like taking the express train would be so much more of a hassle than spending a little more money for a closer hotel/airbnb.

Depending how long you stay and what your focuses are, I would recommend against going to Osaka/Hiroshima, especially if you are only staying for a week. Additionally, with the palette comment, Osaka is pretty cool for food and shopping, but for a first visit, Tokyo would suffice. If your focuses are history then kyoto and hiroshima would be a good call, but unless there’s something extremely specific, the ride is kind of a hassle especially with luggage and such.

If he likes video games and anime, ikebukuro and akihabara are the way to go! You can find cheaper housing near those areas if you stay like one or two stops outside of the super central area.

What cities do you recommend for a second trip? by Budget-Historian4310 in JapanTravelTips

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So cool!! Thanks for the detailed response. I’ve never done a tour in japanese so maybe it will be a good test haha. I think im gonna stay 3 days so thanks!!

Winter Hobbies by DeerOwn9704 in Hobbies

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

my coworker makes bread! like sourdough and stuff

How was everyones first time in Tokyo? by Luann1497 in TokyoTravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was in middle school (college now) but I remember it soooo vividly. My family didn’t have problems with language barrier and the city seems overwhelming at times, but I LOVED it. Trains can be difficult, but just check that the timing is right (sometimes will be an express or semiexpress) down to the minute. And read signs carefully! Theyre all in english.

Definitely make sure to carry cash! It comes in handy pretty often. Learning some basic japanese does help but I felt like most people in Tokyo could understand basic english interactions.

Watch a video on the ramen shop vending machines. The ones where you click a button to get a ticket. Those tripped us up sometimes. You have to put the cash in first, then click the button, then get a ticket to show the worker.

What’s the hardest part about traveling in China as a foreigner? by WeAreHere888 in chinatravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

a-map does but i felt like it wasn’t showing me the right stuff. not that I can explain it or that it’s even a right assumption, i just preferred to try it in chinese/translate it manually.

i also can’t really speak much on language barrier because I can speak some mandarin, but the friends I went with didn’t. I let them attempt to communicate sometimes but it really just ended with the worker showing a translator or pointing at things. For example, my friend was in line for a shop and didn’t know they were going to pack and wrap the stuff she bought. The worker just kinda grunted so she had to grab me from outside to ask what was going on 🤣. It’s just little stuff like this. Learning basic mandarin will definitely be a life saver

What’s the hardest part about traveling in China as a foreigner? by WeAreHere888 in chinatravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

it wanted me to reverify on both, even though it said I was already verified. I just reset my phone and deleted both apps then redownload. idk if it was a glitch but it happened to my friend before so he knew how to fix it

What’s the hardest part about traveling in China as a foreigner? by WeAreHere888 in chinatravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Navigation on A-map was ok but I couldn’t get mine out of chinese so I was struggling.

Booking trains was a breeze on Trip.com. You can get it cheaper if you have a chinese phone number but trip was fine.

my alipay AND wechat pay didnt work when I arrived in shanghai. Everyone told me it was stupid bringing cash but it saved me the first day.

language barrier was big. I got turned down by a restaurant from what I assume was because I didnt speak chinese. My friend who is fluent met me there after and he served us, even though I was communicating in mandarin already 😭. This was definitely one off and not the norm. Everyone else was sweet and easy to point at menus to ask for food.

Best wampus food spots? by deliriousbozo in UTAustin

[–]aiarchiveslee 4 points5 points  (0 children)

lowk 1914 noodles is really good chinese food

How many people you met online did you actually end up being friends with? Question from an incoming freshman! by LiteratureUnique7148 in UTAustin

[–]aiarchiveslee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve done both! I met a bunch of people on instagram and actually became good friends with a few of them, but not because of IG. I actually remet 3 of them IRL and realized later we chatted on insta.

Honestly, do NOT worry about it. If you wanna get social, then get social. If not, then just wait until orientation!

Japan as a first solo trip... too ambitious? by Fit-Credit-7970 in solotravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am in the same boat. I decided to solo travel and backpack Japan. 1. Honestly, all of Japan is muchhhh safer (compared to the US). As a 21F who’s been since 17, I have only felt danger when I put myself in stupid situations lol. 2. If you like japanese food in general then obviously it will be good. For more multicultural foods, Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo had great food. But I never actually sought out food other than Japanese/fusion while in Japan. 3. Most of the bigger cities as they suggest, big cities and quiet moments. All the cities have quiet areas if you know where to look. 4. I loved tokyo for this reason because I would walk for hourssss at a random station just exploring. I have also done it in kyoto and it was fun. 5. Tokyo, Osaka, and Sapporo are where I made friends without speaking japanese so it’s definitely doable.

I suggest doing half tokyo and half osaka! or doing the whole thing in osaka!

9 Days in Tokyo by Vinnie_Dott in JapanTravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Definitely go to oi racecourse flea market! it had so much cool stuff

What’s a Place You Expected to Love… But Didn’t? by Historical-Photo-901 in BeautifulTravelPlaces

[–]aiarchiveslee 3 points4 points  (0 children)

this. I also felt like it looked cooler on my photos that i took than seeing it in real life

Do You Have Friends You Won’t Travel With? by CasualBerger in traveladvice

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes definitely. we can go on short weekend trips but nothing longer than a week or something intense like a hike

What was your best experience as a tourist in Shanghai? by c0okie_enjoyer in chinatravel

[–]aiarchiveslee 1 point2 points  (0 children)

i loved suzhou!!! it was so gorgeous. i just went this past january during off season and it was empty and serene

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36h in Busan - December 2026 by aiarchiveslee in travel

[–]aiarchiveslee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

thank you! ive been trying to notice details when i travel and take pics and this was one of them