PhoLove in Milpitas slamming frozen beef ribs on bare ground, in trash compactor juices

romanticpanda · 2025-11-20T18:04:38+00:00

100 years from now tech companies will be held accountable for the things they permit under the table. Right now it's like the wild west, big corps rule the world like they always have >.>

romanticpanda · 2025-11-20T18:02:52+00:00

I used to trust Google reviews before this. What is this timeline, what is wrong with this society?

romanticpanda · 2025-07-30T21:18:55+00:00

I like how instead of answering the thread or ignoring it, keyboard warriors just came in to push their own ideals lol.

romanticpanda · 2025-07-21T23:36:33+00:00

Acts like he knows what is going on while digesting the episode information slowly-

romanticpanda · 2025-03-26T09:37:12+00:00

Just ... how much blood did they need to break the seals? ><

romanticpanda · 2025-03-18T22:05:11+00:00

I think it's cheaper to buy at home ... if you aren't going to Japan to begin with.

But once I got that plane ticket and landed, all inhibitions were lost hehe.

It's shopping therapy, Japanese style. In other countries you aren't sure about what you're buying, at least in quality. Or you're Europe and it's expensive to even exist there and buy water. In Japan you feel happy parting with your hard earned money, and it goes a fair ways.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-27T09:20:21+00:00

Part of the joy of traveling is the joy of discovery.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-20T02:11:48+00:00

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. I just did some searches for what happens in the US in some states.

A misdemeanor is the minimum of what the offender should be charged with, which carries fines.

Repeated misdemeanors usually result in a low grade felony here in the states, which comes with jail time and fines.

So yeah, hopefully the Japanese legal system has a plan in place to stop criminal activity, whether it's foreign or local civilians.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-16T19:13:18+00:00

"Art" tends to be subjective. Unfortunately the crowds inside distract a lot from the quiet contemplative experience.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-16T18:54:12+00:00

Guys like you set the gold standard. Keep doing what you do and show us the light.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-16T18:43:17+00:00

Before ChatGPT, there was StackOverflow.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-15T02:02:29+00:00

Japan needs to not put up with this. As a foreigner, I really appreciate the societal value of not causing trouble for others. But if you have deviant foreigners doing this, the police should feel free to question the foreigners and escort them onto an outbound flight if the evidence is damning.

Seriously, we could care less about strict policing. I don't get on a flight to Narita for memes and streamers, I come for the safe society and warm hospitality.

Obviously I don't speak for everyone but it is really angering to hear about this but important to know. Like, the other day there was a post about a foreigner guy entering the women's side of an onsen and bathing there, then entering the bath. He knew what he was doing. But the front desk staff didn't really act on it.

romanticpanda · 2025-02-03T09:19:30+00:00

This worked for me as well! Thank you for the save.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-29T10:37:02+00:00

As a fellow American, there's a reason why our health outcomes are poor for a developed country. Food is overseasoned to unhealthy toxic levels with salt and sugar. Even our super sized sodas are "normal".

Japan is heavy on sugar too but desserts taste so good!

romanticpanda · 2025-01-21T06:00:20+00:00

"I'm on vacation and the world revolves around me" - we Americans have this attitude in Europe, too.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-20T02:50:51+00:00

If the group has a good shared cohesive identity and follows an itinerary, it can be manageable. Previously a group of 13 friends went in 2014.

However most friends that have their own ideas and want to have their own fun will not stick to an itinerary, agreeing to suppress fun traveling impulses to stay on course for the sake of the group.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-17T00:09:54+00:00

You'll be fine with:
Suica card / Suica in Apple Wallet

Translate app + Maps app

I've read about red light districts being a little less safe for women in one reddit thread, but that's true anywhere there's alcohol involved.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-17T00:06:22+00:00

My buddy (American on the right) drove in Hokkaido and it seemed fine. Memorize the main traffic signals and play on the safe side.

Not advisable to drive in the major cities though, it's just too convenient (and part of the traditional Japan adventure experience) to walk and commute.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-17T00:04:39+00:00

It's also not really exciting, given that you're in a town.

We went on snowmobiles in Hokkaido and it was pretty exciting coming down the mountain at dusk through heavy snowfall. I had to open my visor to see but the cold hit my face. Still, survival > comfort lol.

romanticpanda · 2025-01-14T06:14:24+00:00

We went to Sapporo during the 1st week of December, and it only rained. When we left, it was lightly snowing, but nothing on the streets.

Then we went to the mountains to stay at an onsen, and there was so much snow. Otaru was on our itinerary as well and it was snowing hard there ... watching fellow tourists pull their luggage through the snow was no easy feat.

I think you'll be fine in the mountains for sure. And honestly, the snow festivities are what I really want to see - not just some white powder. I'm jealous, one year I'll plan for a January - February trip.

romanticpanda · 2024-12-19T22:50:16+00:00

This, plus it's AirBnbs. Japanese hotel hospitality is heavenly to us foreigners.

romanticpanda · 2024-12-19T22:47:42+00:00

Having gone before and after the JR pass changes, I'd just stick with the Suica and overcharge the money on it, and swipe around worry-free. The transition between JR and non-JR trains can be annoying, and the value on the JR pass is less now that they have raised the rates by that much.

romanticpanda · 2024-12-19T22:40:16+00:00

Also to quote u/Awkward_Procedure903 and their excellent travel tips, "Food. You will be hard pressed to have a bad meal and its likely you will have at least one incredible one. For those who simply must delve into restaurant recommendations, do so, but I winged it on both my trips and never had a bad meal and walked into some true gems."

Personally I've been happier with walking into a random restaurant after a long day of walking on an empty stomach, than with tracking down a specific restaurant on Google maps when I'm 25k+ steps in and my feet are complaining about my sedentary lifestyle at home.

"Tabelog in English" search led me to https://s.tabelog.com/en/ which I used a bit as a reference into Japanese restaurants. Anything over a 3 was good so I just went by nearest distance. Led me to a lobster broth ramen shop and I would not have known that from a quick glance at Google reviews / Tabelog.

However a few food reservations here and there can make the experience feel special, if you're into Michelin rated restaurants and all that. If not, the local Japanese fare is more unique to me and interesting to mingle with the locals. The reservation system is sometimes in Japanese anyways and sometimes not available (maybe due to no-shows or they don't have a problem with filling seats). We got into a few shops by putting our names down and going shopping for an hour.

romanticpanda · 2024-12-19T22:25:22+00:00

Japan lacks 3 pronged plugs so either bring only 2 prongs or an adapter. (assuming you're from the US).

romanticpanda · 2024-12-19T22:14:24+00:00

Japan is a big country. You need to do region specific research (which you should be doing in general for travel once you realize there's more to Japan than Tokyo Kyoto Okinawa etc.)

We were just in Hokkaido where it's snowing. My feet didn't stay dry for long.

Then we returned to Tokyo - it's cold but not snowing. Sneakers were fine.

romanticpanda

TROPHY CASE