Must see places?

[JLR]

not renewing the contract and got better international schools job offers elsewhere (debating between Denmark, Thailand and Spain but need to make a choice by the end of the week) that pay more and I don't have to work weekends! (Hooray!) and get my full summer off and a real winter break too (Hooray X 2).

That being said my visa ends here in July and I don't start work at the new school until August. I would like to see more of Japan as odds are I won't be back here ever again.

Other than the Greater Tokyo area I have been to:

- Nikko
- Kumamoto
- Kanazawa

Any places on or off the radar worth seeing? Osaka? A tour of the nuke plant perhaps?

Many thanks in advance.

[Mike Oxlong]

Depends what you're into. If you like the traditional things, you could try Hida-Takayama, Shirakawago, Gujo-Hachiman, Inuyama Castle, The Omi Basin region of Shiga Prefecture, Kyoto, Himeji Castle, etc.

[Catoneinutica]

not renewing the contract and got better international schools job offers elsewhere (debating between Denmark, Thailand and Spain but need to make a choice by the end of the week)...

Quite a choice you have to make! In terms of chix alone, I'd go with Denmark or Thailand, depending on your taste. Spanish girls are very pretty and very entitled. In any case, congrats on your imminent escape. As for Houshalando, Shin Nihonbashi Station on the JR Sobu Line - if you want to see what one of the Portals to Hell looks like

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Fukushima?

Sorry, should have read your post in its entirity and I'd've noticed you suggested the reactor trip.

I always loved Tagata jinja near Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture. But perhaps it's been a few decades since being able to get giggles out of photos of people worshipping huge dicks...

[Coligny]

Fukushima?

Sorry, should have read your post in its entirity and I'd've noticed you suggested the reactor trip.

I always loved Tagata jinja near Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture. But perhaps it's been a few decades since being able to get giggles out of photos of people worshipping huge dicks...

Meiji Mura...

DA BOMB !

http://www.meijimura.com/english/list.html

[kagemusha]

Okinawa - A good vacation spot with all the Japanese advantages and without most of the uptight BS of the mainland.

[MrUltimateGaijin]

Hakuba in Nagano. The site of the Winter Olympics.

[FG Lurker]

Good site covering Japanese castles:
http://www.jcastle.info/castle

[JLR]

Quite a choice you have to make! In terms of chix alone, I'd go with Denmark or Thailand, depending on your taste.

Well it is also a matter of living in cold weather or hot weather. That and I think I would save more in Thailand (salary about 100,000 baht a month) vs Denmark ($60,000 USD). Just trying to figure out the real cost of living in each place.

But I am Ok with Danish women

http://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/266/685/denmark1_display_image.jpg?1277150641


Thanks for the travel info everyone.

Can most of those places been seen in a day or two or should I plan for longer? I mean can Meiji Mura be seen/enjoyed in an afternoon? Obviously Okinawa I plan to spend a week there.

[Coligny]

Yeah, Meiji mura can be seen in a day easily.

[dimwit]

Just came back from the Shikoku Karst. Very amazing place. Especially at night with all the stars.

[Russell]

Just came back from the Shikoku Karst. Very amazing place. Especially at night with all the stars.

Yeah, it definitely is. All those good memories of camping there in a Keijidousha with my wife long ago.

BTW, where is your Avatar?

[dimwit]

Yeah, it definitely is. All those good memories of camping there in a Keijidousha with my wife long ago.

BTW, where is your Avatar?

Disappeared when I thought the site was extincting. I have replaced it with my own dimwit dog who bit the Shikoku Denroku meter reader in a battle of the intellectually challenged. My meter is standing pretty clearly out in front of my house, but the meter reader decided to try to find the meter around the side of my house. Got bit in the ass for his efforts. I'm not looking forward to my next bill.

[Coligny]

Just came back from the Shikoku Karst. Very amazing place. Especially at night with all the stars.

Looks gorgeous... but then you see this...



And wonder if it's not one of those places that seems to be designed to kill you on purpose...

(The bridge in the back, who seems to be in fact 3 bridges put back to back, look like an adventure by itself...)

[matsuki]

The bridge in the back, who seems to be in fact 3 bridges put back to back, look like an adventure by itself...

I drove that thing (and a few others) last year in a tiny rental....was a nice, sunny day, happy drive back til I go to the bridge....then it was holy shit I'm going to be blown off this bitch!

[Greji]

then it was holy shit I'm going to be blown off this bitch!

That's what I thought with Noriko.....

[IparryU]

That's what I thought with Noriko.....

long time no post greji... where have you been.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

not renewing the contract and got better international schools job offers elsewhere (debating between Denmark, Thailand and Spain but need to make a choice by the end of the week) that pay more and I don't have to work weekends! (Hooray!) and get my full summer off and a real winter break too (Hooray X 2).

That being said my visa ends here in July and I don't start work at the new school until August. I would like to see more of Japan as odds are I won't be back here ever again.

Other than the Greater Tokyo area I have been to:

- Nikko
- Kumamoto
- Kanazawa

Any places on or off the radar worth seeing? Osaka? A tour of the nuke plant perhaps?

Many thanks in advance.

Let me help you narrow down your debate and advise you to take Denmark out of the equation right now. It's not an expat friendly place, especially if you are outside of Copenhagen.

For Japan, definitely go to Kansai. If you're really up for adventure, go all the way down to the Yaeyasu islands and stay on Kohamajima.

[GrimJim]

So true. I used to work with some guys from Denmark. The steady flow of racist comments was interesting. They were always labeling people from each country.

I would go to Thailand or Vietnam if I wanted out of Japan. Okinawa or Hokkaido if in Japan.

[Quid pro quo]

Well it is also a matter of living in cold weather or hot weather. That and I think I would save more in Thailand (salary about 100,000 baht a month) vs Denmark ($60,000 USD). Just trying to figure out the real cost of living in each place.

...

Is that $60,000 a month? So you would be earning roughly 20 times more money in Denmark?

If you are more into adventure and nature how about Yakushima island?

Have you climbed Mount Fuji? I bet people will ask you that when you get on the subject of Japan and then you can casually reply: Yes, I had the afternoon off one day so I thought I should stroll up.

[JLR]

Is that $60,000 a month?

No I should have put per year for that. I apologize.

Let me help you narrow down your debate and advise you to take Denmark out of the equation right now. It's not an expat friendly place, especially if you are outside of Copenhagen.

I have heard such things about Denmark but it was not a deal breaker. I was more concerned about the cost of living there (and rent and size of apt).

The only huge plus for Denmark was being close to Holland and the Baltics.

Thus I chose the job in Thailand.

If you are more into adventure and nature how about Yakushima island?

Have you climbed Mount Fuji? I bet people will ask you that when you get on the subject of Japan and then you can casually reply: Yes, I had the afternoon off one day so I thought I should stroll up.

Done the Mt. Fuji thing but would like to see the sunrise from there. I mean it sounds worth it. Right? Or is it overrated?

Yakushima seems very cool but quite far away. Though since I am headed to Thailand it's on the way there as is the Yaeyasu islands and Kohamajima.

Seems like a nice end to my time in Japan. End it on a positive note.

[Quid pro quo]

No I should have put per year for that. I apologize.

I have heard such things about Denmark but it was not a deal breaker. I was more concerned about the cost of living there (and rent and size of apt).

The only huge plus for Denmark was being close to Holland and the Baltics.

Thus I chose the job in Thailand.

Probably wise as $60000 isn't much nowadays in Scandinavia if you are a newcomer and need to get lodging and learn how to live economically in a new country.

I don't know if you can live a life in luxory on 100,000 baht but you can probably live(from what I've heard) a decent life and be able to set something aside.

Done the Mt. Fuji thing but would like to see the sunrise from there. I mean it sounds worth it. Right? Or is it overrated?

Yakushima seems very cool but quite far away. Though since I am headed to Thailand it's on the way there as is the Yaeyasu islands and Kohamajima.

Seems like a nice end to my time in Japan. End it on a positive note.

I know it sounded like I've been to those places but I've actually been to neither.
I was planning to go to Yakushima but for practical reasons I only got as far as Kagoshima(A ferry ride away) I had to be content with going up another volcano, Sakurajima.
I have a principle of trying to avoid tourist traps and therefore I ruled out Fuji right away, but I would not avoid it if you have lots of time and money.

[Cyka UchuuJin]

No I should have put per year for that. I apologize.

I have heard such things about Denmark but it was not a deal breaker. I was more concerned about the cost of living there (and rent and size of apt).

The only huge plus for Denmark was being close to Holland and the Baltics.

Thus I chose the job in Thailand.


Done the Mt. Fuji thing but would like to see the sunrise from there. I mean it sounds worth it. Right? Or is it overrated?

Yakushima seems very cool but quite far away. Though since I am headed to Thailand it's on the way there as is the Yaeyasu islands and Kohamajima.

Seems like a nice end to my time in Japan. End it on a positive note.

you chose well. why would anyone want to be near the baltics and holland??

there were many things that i thought were not going to be dealbreakers when i moved to denmark. until i realised that it really was. the taxes are insane (of my salary, which looks generous on paper, half immediately goes to taxes despite being on the 'reduced' rate, and 65% of what is remaining goes to mortgage, electricity, water), and animosity towards foreign residents is positively archaic.

btw, what industry are you in?

kohamajima definitely worth it. skip naha, it's too american military base-ish.
ryokans on the north side of kyoto in the hills are also pretty fantastic, but best in autumn.

[Russell]

Then there is of course also Gunkanjima if you really want a special experience.

Tons of threads here at FG on this place if you search.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

You could do some socially conscious tourism and go to Taiji in Wakayama Prefecture and watch the locals carrying out scientific research as they club the living bejeezus out of cute little dolphins before they slit the battered cetacean's throats...and then visit the quaint aquarium nearby where you can see the Japanese love for marine life on display.

[Mike Oxlong]

kohamajima definitely worth it. skip naha, it's too american military base-ish.

Naha is not at all American miltary base-ish. It's Japanese urban sprawl, with all the "planning" that that implys. But right next door in Urasoe or Ginowan and *bam!!* you're into base country. Nearly the entire southern third of the island is so built up you have all the charm of the being in Central Osaka, only without the related transportation infrastructure.

I'd personally skip the entire island of Okinawa, and hit one of the outlying islands. The Kerama Islands, Kume Island, Miyako, and Ishigaki are all much better places to get the tropical, old Okinawa vibe.

[Samurai_Jerk]

there were many things that i thought were not going to be dealbreakers when i moved to denmark. until i realised that it really was. the taxes are insane (of my salary, which looks generous on paper, half immediately goes to taxes despite being on the 'reduced' rate, and 65% of what is remaining goes to mortgage, electricity, water)

Word. 100,000 baht a month is like USD36,000 a year. He'll definitely have a lot more left over after taxes and fixed costs in Thailand that he would have in Denmark on 60 grand a year. Plus the pussy is cheap

[IparryU]

[quote="Samurai_Jerk"]Word. 100,000 baht a month is like USD36,000 a year. He'll definitely have a lot more left over after taxes and fixed costs in Thailand that he would have in Denmark on 60 grand a year. Plus the pussy is cheap ]
that and they guys in Thailand look better then the girls in Denmark... but you dont really know that they are guys,....

[JLR]

you chose well. why would anyone want to be near the baltics and holland??

Spent about 6 months in the Baltics and 2 in Holland and really enjoy both places.

there were many things that i thought were not going to be dealbreakers when i moved to denmark. until i realised that it really was. the taxes are insane (of my salary, which looks generous on paper, half immediately goes to taxes despite being on the 'reduced' rate, and 65% of what is remaining goes to mortgage, electricity, water), and animosity towards foreign residents is positively archaic.

I agree the more I looked into taxes, apartment costs, food prices, heating costs/water/power...etc it seemed the $60K a year was not all that great.

Was never sold on the Spain offer and Thailand well the pay is above average, the beaches, cost of living, the overall quality of life as I can get a nice place to live (with pool, gym..etc) and still have a LOT left over at the end of the month. The school will pay to ship my stuff to Thailand so that's one less hassle as well.

I was indifferent to living here in Japan but could not see myself doing another 2 years here. Hoping Thailand is a better fit for me.

btw, what industry are you in?

I am a Credentialed teacher (grade school but also licensed to teach PE and as well). Teach at International Schools. I taught in California prior to being laid off due to budget cuts (just before I got tenure! ha ha). Now happily teaching overseas where I don't have to deal with all the BS (NCLB, helicopter parents, lack of respect..etc).

Then there is of course also Gunkanjima if you really want a special experience.

Damn. I would enjoy going there as I liked to go to old ghosts towns all over the USA when I had my summers off.

[Samurai_Jerk]

that and they guys in Thailand look better then the girls in Denmark... but you dont really know that they are guys,....

The guys in Thailand look better than the girls in Thailand. I'm not into the Thai, Kmer or Malay look at all. If you see hot women from that part of the world they tend to be ethnic Chinese or mestizos in the case of the PI.