A friend of a friend is traveling to Japan next month with his girlfriend and would like to know if there is an idyllic, terribly romantic spot in Tokyo where he can propose to her. (I'm not talking about myself, I swear!)

Anyone have a recommendation about a place in Tokyo that fits the bill?

Thanks,
kamome

kamome wrote:an idyllic, terribly romantic spot in Tokyo where he can propose to her.

If and only IF the girl is Japanese....

Cheap: The top of any of the major Ferris wheels in Kanto]Not so cheap: [/i]Tokyo Disneyland
Expensive and worth it: New York Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo for that "Lost in Translation" feel.

Does it have to be Tokyo? Why not take a short trip down to Kyoto or Hiroshima (Miyajima). He can propose in front of a clapping group of monkeys on Miyajima.

[quote="cstaylor"]He can propose in front of a clapping group of monkeys on Miyajima. ]

Tsk, tsk... now that's no way to be talking about the busloads of tourists.

Taro: Not sure if the girlfriend is Japanese or not. I'm assuming not, because both are flying internationally to get here.

The New York Grill is a great idea. Anybody else have other similar places in mind?

I'm sure one of the Gomis can offer a good suggestion or two.

[quote="cstaylor"]Does it have to be Tokyo? Why not take a short trip down to Kyoto or Hiroshima (Miyajima). He can propose in front of a clapping group of monkeys on Miyajima. ]



Actually, he might be able to take a quick side trip just outside of Tokyo, but probably not as far as Kansai.

kamome wrote:I'm sure one of the Gomis can offer a good suggestion or two.

The most romantic place for me in Tokyo is my apartment where all the good lovin' happens.. however, it has been a while since a cute young thing has crossed the thresh-hold... I digress.

Seriously.. places NOT to go is Tokyo Tower or Roppongi Hills and a HUGE no-no to Disneyland (Unless she is Japanese as Taro suggested).

New York Grill is ideal.. Expensive but worth every yen.

Depends on their style. He could have some non-traditional kitch at an up-scale love hotel. I am sure they would have a themed room just for this purpose.

What about setting up in a karaoke bar - the ones with the stage and everybody in the same room.. and he serenades her with her favourite song. Make sure the staff are in on it. There is a good one in Roppongi - called Festa I think.

I am really not one for the traditional cheesy romance.. I prefer something a bit more original in keeping with the personalities of the individuals. Without knowing them, it is hard to make suggestions.

One thing though - MAKE SURE HE HAS A RING!!! That way she knows he has put his money where his mouth is and is not just a spur of the moment thing.

HE STILL NEEDS TO GET DOWN ON HIS KNEES.

Talking restaurants, the 'Azur' restaurant at the Yokohama Intercontinental Hotel has absolutely stunning food. Expensive, but well worth it. Dead easy to get to from Tokyo.

GomiGirl wrote:

kamome wrote:I'm sure one of the Gomis can offer a good suggestion or two.

Depends on their style. He could have some non-traditional kitch at an up-scale love hotel. I am sure they would have a themed room just for this purpose.

What about setting up in a karaoke bar - the ones with the stage and everybody in the same room.. and he serenades her with her favourite song. Make sure the staff are in on it. There is a good one in Roppongi - called Festa I think.

The guy was looking for an "idyllic, romantic" place to propose...and you suggest a karaoke bar or love hotel???? WTF?

Has anyone been to Meguro Gajoen? The place has a "Japanese" look, but I don't know if it's appropriate for this kind of thing.

kamome wrote:The guy was looking for an "idyllic, romantic" place to propose...and you suggest a karaoke bar or love hotel???? WTF?

Well you should have just said cheesy and I would have suggested something different. Everybody has different ideas as to what constitutes an idyllic, romantic place. If somebody took me to Disneyland to propose I would laugh at them for being lame.

New York Grill!! Perfect. Great food and service, amazing view, low lighting, secluded tables, comfortable lounges, smoky jazz.

What more can you ask for?

GomiGirl wrote:What more can you ask for?

Clapping monkeys.

Taro Toporific wrote:Expensive and worth it:New York Grill at the Park Hyatt Tokyo for that "Lost in Translation" feel.

Crap, I thought I was being original!

Well let me just confirm: it works. Mind you, this was years before the Lost In Translation movie. And technically, we were in the lounge down on the hotel lobby floor (46th?) when I proposed. Since she said yes, I took her upstairs for dinner. The "no" place was going to be Mos Burger.

By the way, their garlic mashed potatoes are yummy.

cstaylor wrote:

GomiGirl wrote:What more can you ask for?

Clapping monkeys.

cs, did the clapping monkeys do the trick for your wife when you proposed?

kamome wrote:Has anyone been to Meguro Gajoen? The place has a "Japanese" look, but I don't know if it's appropriate for this kind of thing.

Gajoen is pretty nice. But I think you'd have to scout it out first to make sure there's a place inside that'd be appropriate. And if he chooses a Pongi-style proposal, there's a hospital just off Yamate Dori (maybe 3 minutes by taxi) for when she swallows the ring.

kamome wrote:Has anyone been to Meguro Gajoen? The place has a "Japanese" look.

Hey, let's merge this thread with Mega-tacky Hanayashiki amusement park goes under. The Godzilla head in Hanayashiki park would be a way cool place to propose marriage in Tokyo.

Captain Japan wrote: Hanayashiki is a way cool place. Their webpage is hilarious..

kamome wrote:Has anyone been to Meguro Gajoen? The place has a "Japanese" look.

Ok, ok, I've joked around too much.




For true "Japanese" look-n-feel, rent a teahouse in Komagome Rikugien in Toshima-ku, Tokyo. About 20,00yen rental will give the couple the same view and experience that visiting big shots get when the Japanese Foreign Ministry takes foreign VIPs there. Bring in sushi (10-20,000yen) and pay the tea cememony association ladies to serve mat-cha and sweets (5-10,000yen).
One of the teahouses on the koi pond

Rikugien Garden
The garden was originally laid out 300 years ago in Edo period. It is a well-preserved Japanese landscape garden
http://accessible.jp.org/tokyo/en/parks/Rikugien_Garden.html

I am a soon to be FG as I plan to propose to my longtime J-gf in the next couple of months. What I find interesting about this topic is the suggestion to do the proposal at New York Grill. I would steal this idea myself, but my GF is the concierge/hostess for The New York Grill. I was just there a month ago and it is absolutely spectacular. If your friend does decide to make the proposal there, let me know and I will make sure that my gf advises her staff to roll out the red carpet for both of them.

I am planning a surprise visit to Tokyo in the next month or two so keep the suggestions coming on where to make a romantic proposal since I can't use the New York Grill.

kamome wrote:

cstaylor wrote:

GomiGirl wrote:What more can you ask for?

Clapping monkeys.

cs, did the clapping monkeys do the trick for your wife when you proposed?

They brought tears to her eyes (from visions of future marriage suffering?).

Rob Pongi wrote:Of course, there is also, the one and only:

Notice the slightly blurry quality of that nighttime photo Rob Pongi took, obviously right before (or after?) he went in there to par-tay.

Note to self: must get to Shibuya Gas Panic soon...Guyjean, you with me?

Taro Toporific wrote:New York Grill[/url] at the Park Hyatt Tokyo for that "Lost in Translation" feel.

Wow, I just came back from seeing 'Lost in Translation' this evening with friends (often films are released later in Australia-still its been out a few weeks now). While for my friends who are not into Japan it was just another interesting film, for me it was something very special. Because I have been there and are going to Japan this year, the film was like traveling in a sense.

I could visualise myself in the future at those locations in the film, and it no longer seemed so intimidating as I previously thought. In the scenes where the camera looked out across the city, I thought 'Out there, in the city, are people like Kamone, GomiGirl, Taro and the other FG working. They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan... Besides the setting, I thought it was a fantastic, touching film.....

Really, I found that film was so beautiful it almost brought a tear to my eye. It made me feel real emotions and the film also makes you think, which you can't say about every film these days.

Alcazar wrote:They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan...

Where's that puke icon?

cstaylor wrote:

Alcazar wrote:They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan...

Where's that puke icon?

You're just jealous that he didn't mention your name personally!!

cstaylor wrote:

Alcazar wrote:They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan...

Where's that puke icon?

You can't fool us, CS. We know all the stories of concrete and platform pizzas are just to keep us scared of taking the gamble and finding ourselves in paradise.

Parades every day, everybody smiling like Kitty-chan, gorgeous women waiting on the most ordinary guy hand and foot - and you want to keep it all for yourselves!!!

We're on to you. Oh yes, we are.

Alcazar wrote:In the scenes where the camera looked out across the city, I thought 'Out there, in the city, are people like Kamone, GomiGirl, Taro and the other FG working. They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'.

Ah yes but people like me get to look out onto another concrete building all day before squashing into a packed train to travel home to my 40sqm apartment that I share with a cat. (OMG I am even depressing myself now)

However, the view from New York Grill is very special and even jaded old cynics like me are inspired.

If I need to "feel the magic" I prefer to get out of Tokyo and into the glorious countryside and meet interesting people and check out onsens and temples etc.

GomiGirl wrote:

cstaylor wrote:

Alcazar wrote:They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan...

Where's that puke icon?

You're just jealous that he didn't mention your name personally!!

Nah, I wouldn't want him hitting me up for a place to stay: "Hello, police, there's a dirty foreigner barbarian bothering me... can you take him away for three weeks of questioning? I think his visa may have expired..."

Caustic Saint wrote:

cstaylor wrote:

Alcazar wrote:They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'. That has inspired me to work harder and faster to get to Japan...

Where's that puke icon?

You can't fool us, CS. We know all the stories of concrete and platform pizzas are just to keep us scared of taking the gamble and finding ourselves in paradise.

Parades every day, everybody smiling like Kitty-chan, gorgeous women waiting on the most ordinary guy hand and foot - and you want to keep it all for yourselves!!!

We're on to you. Oh yes, we are.

I've never been to Australia, New Zealand, or Korea, so I couldn't tell you if Tokyo was paradise in comparison, but I would disabuse you of any thinking that Tokyo is paradise (unless you have a concrete and noise fetish).

GomiGirl wrote:Ah yes but people like me get to look out onto another concrete building all day before squashing into a packed train to travel home to my 40sqm apartment that I share with a cat. (OMG I am even depressing myself now).

At least you have an apartment, and it is in an interesting city! You can go out at see amazing things anyday you want to.....not like most people stuck not so far from where they were born etc, consider the alternatives....

GomiGirl wrote:However, the view from New York Grill is very special and even jaded old cynics like me are inspired.
If I need to "feel the magic" I prefer to get out of Tokyo and into the glorious countryside and meet interesting people and check out onsens and temples etc.

That's what I meant previously, I felt the 'magic', you described it just right. It was a combination of the Japanese setting and the story.

I know you guys might be used to Japan somewhat, but it is great that you can still feel like you are going somewhere special by heading to the 'New York Grill' or the Japanese countryside. Something I had never considered before, but maybe for you who have spent years in Japan, coming home to visit your home nations might seem somewhat special when you have been away for years at a time? Seeing what has changed etc.

cstaylor wrote:Nah, I wouldn't want him hitting me up for a place to stay: "Hello, police, there's a dirty foreigner barbarian bothering me... can you take him away for three weeks of questioning? I think his visa may have expired..."

Ha Ha CS, I'm pretty clean actually for a guy, even if I am a 'dirty gaijin'!

cstaylor wrote:I've never been to Australia, New Zealand, or Korea, so I couldn't tell you if Tokyo was paradise in comparison, but I would disabuse you of any thinking that Tokyo is paradise (unless you have a concrete and noise fetish).

Australia and New Zealand are good places to live (haven't been to Korea), it's just that I would like to experience the difference of Japan again. I know Tokyo is as ugly as sin, but to me it seems exciting for now, (at this stage in my life), and it's not like I plan to be there for ever! (famous last words....)

Alcazar wrote: I know Tokyo is as ugly as sin, but to me it seems exciting for now, (at this stage in my life), and it's not like I plan to be there for ever! (famous last words....)

Yes it is ugly but it is never dull. I really enjoy living here - otherwise I would go somewhere else. But it is the entire package of work, family, friends, location, events etc etc etc that makes a place good to live. For now Tokyo suits me just fine.

I haven't been back to Brisvegas for about 3 years. My friends have stopped asking me when I am coming back for a visit. First time I went back it was surreal. I didn't cope very well. I walked around places like coles new world and nearly had a panic attack by the sheer size of the supermarkets.. even the supermarket trolleys were freaky for me. So next time I will lay off the "special" cookies before visiting wide open spaces.

GomiGirl wrote: I haven't been back to Brisvegas for about 3 years. My friends have stopped asking me when I am coming back for a visit. First time I went back it was surreal. I didn't cope very well. I walked around places like coles new world and nearly had a panic attack by the sheer size of the supermarkets... even the supermarket trolleys were freaky for me.

Woah, you have really been conditioned to Japan then...that's kind of funny, 'freaked' by the trolleys-'they're as big as a J-garbage truck!'

I'm the opposite somewhat, I find the big crowds confronting, but if I am exposed to that for a while, I get used to it. When I first saw the trailer for Lost in Translation with Bill Murray in the taxi travelling through a neon-lit Tokyo at night, I felt really anxious , scared even, when I imagined myself in that situation in busy Tokyo, especially by myself.

GomiGirl wrote:So next time I will lay off the "special" cookies before visiting wide open spaces.

So you have those sort of friends back in Brisbane, or were you the cook? Bet you can't get those in Tokyo.....