Proposing Marriage in Tokyo

[ramchop]

Tokyo is paradise (unless you have a concrete and noise fetish).

Note to noise fetishists. Tokyo is quiet... well that was one of my first observations after returning from my 2 week holiday in Vietnam a few months ago. And this was during an open day at Waseda University (loud speakers blaring) a few doors down the road.

You want noise?, you need a street full of motor scooters.

[DJEB]

Note to noise fetishists. Tokyo is quiet... well that was one of my first observations after returning from my 2 week holiday in Vietnam a few months ago. And this was during an open day at Waseda University (loud speakers blaring) a few doors down the road.

You want noise?, you need a street full of motor scooters.

Sounds like how I felt when I returned to this relatively peaceful paradise after 10 days in Hong Kong.

[kamome]

I thought 'Out there, in the city, are people like Kamome, GomiGirl, Taro and the other FG working. They get to see this interesting place every single day, and they are so lucky'.

Alcazar, I hear you. But believe me, visiting here and living here are very different things. The interesting places lose their novelty and then you wish you were back home where things are much easier. You're right that going home is now the trip to exotica (well, not exactly, unless you think going to a place where 1 out of three people are grotesquely obese--like where I'm from--counts as exotica).

I sense that people who were looking to Japan for that "magic" you speak of have moved on to other places in Southeast Asia. It still exists there.

In fact, I should probably tell my friend-of-a-friend who is looking to propose to his girlfriend in Tokyo that he should change his ticket to Thailand or thereabouts.

[Taro Toporific]

... I would steal this idea myself, but my GF is the concierge/hostess for The New York Grill. ...
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.

Compared to The New York Grill, other expensive locations in Tokyo will seem dull. Of course there's Kaiseki Ryori, but "real thing" is well over 80,000yen per person, introduction-only-FGs-not-welcome, and not much fun away.

For more modest venues that allow FG in the door see bento.com and type in "Kaiseki " in the search function.


Personally, I would just have best Kaiseki Bento money could buy on top on of Tokyo's Mt Takao accessible by cable car, "where you will be greeted by monkeys ranging freely."

[Alcazar]

Alcazar, I hear you. But believe me, visiting here and living here are very different things.

Thanks for the heads-up Kamone, I feel it will be quite a challenge. I think that having to survive in Japan will make me grow-up a lot in fending for myself etc, so I am also looking forward to that challenge side of things. I feel that I need to do this to extend myself further, to basically become a stronger, more savy man of the world who can survive on his own. The fact that I can read about you FGs doing it already gives me great encouragement.

[moog]

... I would steal this idea myself, but my GF is the concierge/hostess for The New York Grill. ...
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.

Personally, I would just have best Kaiseki Bento money could buy on top on of Tokyo's Mt Takao accessible by cable car, "where you will be greeted by monkeys ranging freely."

That's a great idea. However, as a FG in training, I'm wondering how she (a native) would perceive the notion of a *gaijin* treating her to a very special, traditional Japanese dinner. Would she applaud me for doing cultural research or would it raise an eyebrow in her eyes in the sense that a gaijin has no business coming to her country and trying to front?

Maybe guys are different. I wouldn't be offended if she came to America and treated me to a nice steak dinner and then took me to a baseball game which are very American things.

Oh god... I think I was just being sensitive to political correctness.

[moog]

... I would steal this idea myself, but my GF is the concierge/hostess for The New York Grill. ...
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.

Personally, I would just have best Kaiseki Bento money could buy on top on of Tokyo's Mt Takao accessible by cable car, "where you will be greeted by monkeys ranging freely."

That's a great idea. However, as a FG in training, I'm wondering how she (a native) would perceive the notion of a *gaijin* treating her to a very special, traditional Japanese dinner. Would she applaud me for doing cultural research or would it raise an eyebrow in her eyes in the sense that a gaijin has no business coming to her country and trying to front?

Maybe guys are different. I wouldn't be offended if she came to America and treated me to a nice steak dinner and then took me to a baseball game which are very American things.

Oh god... I think I was just being sensitive to political correctness.

[Taro Toporific]

... I would steal this idea myself, but my GF is the concierge/hostess for The New York Grill. .....I'm wondering how she (a native) would perceive the notion of a *gaijin* treating her to a very special, traditional Japanese dinner.

D'oh! The concierge/hostess for The New York Grill who I've talked with is Swiss. Sorry. Bite the Big Buddha! Try going to the Kamakura Dai-Butsu (Great Buddha). The limo over to for drinks and snack at sunset at Hayama area, the Maree de Chaya. That 100 year old western building is too romatic.

http://www.bento.com/r-beach.asp

!Maree de Chaya (French). 0468-75-6683.
A waterfront restaurant of note serving top-quality French cuisine with a beautiful view of the bay, Izu and Fuji-san from its upstairs dining rooms. The ground floor is a dining bar, with good snacks and live jazz on Saturday nights. Beware the dress code (no shorts for men or thong sandals on anyone). Dinner runs around Y6,000-8,000 per person.
Hayama-machi, Horiuchi 24-2. (near Hayama Marina (bus from Zushi)) Open noon-2:30, 5:30-9:30pm. Closed Mondays.

[Taro Toporific]

double trouble

[GomiGirl]

There is a really nice place at Mt Takao.. a little village of tea houses overlooking gorgeous japanese gardens.

Forgot the name, but they serve koi sashimi (which is one of the worst types of sashimi IMHO) and sake out of bamboo.

Menu great and service excellent.

So if somebody can find me the name of this restaurant.. I would appreciate it.

[Taro Toporific]

There is a really nice place at Mt Takao.. a little village of tea houses overlooking gorgeous japanese gardens.

So if somebody can find me the name of this restaurant.. I would appreciate it.

Ahhh. THAT place. I am banned from there from there for bringing wacked stock traders for a party which ended up with everyone drunk and swimming in the herpes koi ponds.

http://wwwthep.physik.uni-mainz.de/~cbauer/japan2/
The traditional restaurant "Ukai-Chiku-Tei" in Takao. This is the entrance that leads to a maze of small buildings....the largest of them which was the dormitory of a former temple that was dismantled and reconstructed on the restaurant site.

Pix here
http://wwwthep.physik.uni-mainz.de/~cbauer/japan2/034.jpg

[GomiGirl]

Actually it is

Ukai Toriyama Restaurant Japanese site.

Tokyo Journal Review

[Taro Toporific]

they serve koi sashimi (which is one of the worst types of sashimi IMHO) .

Herpes koi + sashimi =

[Cubed]

I've been there as part of my University "study tour". They serve sake in cut bamboo cafetieres. Or maybe that was just fashionable then.

Definitely worth a look.