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(Sapporo Trip – Part 4) Mt. Moiwa

November 19, 2018November 19, 2018Autumn/Fall, Nature, WeatherLeave a Comment

Part 4 of Brandon’s Sapporo trip is Mt. Moiwa, which is one of the best spots for viewing Sapporo’s city lights.

Mt. Moiwa is located about 45 minutes from Susukino. This is how to get there:

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From the 4 pictures in the slideshow above:

DO NOT GO THIS WAY Picture: When searching on Google Maps on how to get to the Mt. Moiwa Ropeway from Susukino, it will tell you to take the Sapporo Shiden street car and get off at Denshajigyosho-mae Station. If you take this route, you will have to walk up steep stairs and then pass a temple with a cemetary, which is not very scenic.
The BETTER Way: Take the Sapporo Shiden street car to Ropeway Iriguchi Station. There is a free shuttle bus from the Station to the Mt. Moiwa Ropeway (5 minute ride) that departs about every 20 minutes, which is recommended if you or your somebody in your party has difficulty walking.
From Ropeway Iriguchi Station: It is a 5-minute walk uphill.
Ropeway & Minicar Tickets: First the ropeway will take you most of the way up the mountain, and then you will transfer to a minicar that will take you to the summit. It’s 1700 Yen for a roundtrip ticket for both the ropeway and minicar.

Here’s the view when you get there:

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Some tips when going to the top of Mt. Moiwa:

There is an omiyage (souvenir shop), vending machines with hot and cold drinks, and a restaurant, but we recommend bringing your own snacks, o-bentos (lunch boxes), and drinks.
If you are visiting during cooler/colder weather, pack some warm clothes buy hokkairo (hand warmers) that can be bought in convenience stores or pharmacies.
The summit can get quite windy, so make sure your things don’t get blown away.
Be flexible with your planning because it might be cloudy on one day but sunny on another day.

Last part is:

Part 5 – COSTCO

Recommended Destinations for Your First Trip to Japan

June 29, 2018June 29, 2018FAQ, Food and Drink, Modern Culture/Spots, Traditional Culture/Spots2 Comments

Happy Aloha Friday!!!

Planning your first trip to Japan, but where to go? We recommend going to Osaka and/or Tokyo. If you have only a short period for your vacation or if you are on a tight budget, we think going to Osaka is best for your first trip. If you have time and enough money, we think going to Osaka first, and then going to Tokyo is a good plan. In this post, we’re going to explain why Osaka and/or Tokyo are good destinations for your first trip to Japan.

Osaka

Osaka culture – In my (Chad’s) experience, locals in Osaka are really honest and genuine. Not saying that people outside of Osaka are not honest and genuine, but the people in Osaka (well, Kansai in general) are very easy to connect to because they are usually outgoing. If you go to a bar and meet a few locals, it’s easy to start a conversation. You must be thinking, “I don’t speak Japanese, so how will we communicate?” But there are people who will try to have a conversation even though they don’t have English speaking skills. It helps to speak a little Japanese, but I think making an effort is what is most important.
Great access to other areas of the Kansai Region – From Osaka, you can go to every prefecture in the Kansai Region (Kyoto, Hyogo, Nara, Wakayama, Mie, Shiga) without riding a shinkansen. In other words, you can Osaka as a hub to travel around the Kansai Region, which is rich in Traditional Japanese Culture. Historically, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for a little over 1000 years, and Nara was the first capital of Japan. So, if you want to get in touch with the roots of Japanese Culture and History, Kansai is the place to go.
Traditional and modern Japan – Osaka is a fusion of both traditional and modern Japanese culture. During the spring, you can enjoy the sakura around Osaka Castle during the day, and eat good food and drink alcohol at night around Dotonbori, Namba, or Shinsaibashi (to name a few places) at night.
Awesome grinds (food)! – Osaka has GREAT food! Okonomiyaki, kushiyaki, takoyaki, yakiniku are just a few of the super ono local foods you can each in Osaka.

Tokyo

Multicultural metropolitan – Without a doubt, Tokyo is the most multicultural city in Japan because of the sheer amount diversity in the city. If you want to eat Japanese food, of course you’ll be able to find good quality food in Tokyo. If you feel like eating great pizza, there are a lot of authentic Italian restaurants with delicious pizza. If you feel like Nepalese curry, Tokyo’s got it! You get the picture, right? You can find all kinds of food in Tokyo to satisfy your craving. Another thing is Tokyo is relatively multilingual, which means you can find English signs almost everywhere. Also, compared to other areas of Japan, a lot of people speak enough English to help you if you are lost.
Convenience – First and foremost, trains throughout Japan are on-time most of the time, but if you miss a train in Tokyo, the next train will come in 5 to 10 minutes. So, it’s not a big deal if you miss one train. Next, if you’re craving some ramen in the middle of the night, you’ll find a place to eat. Tokyo is the city-that-never-sleeps.

In conclusion:

1. Osaka-only plan: If you’re short on time and money, and want to see both traditional and modern Japan hit up Osaka. If you’re in Osaka for 5-7 days, you can check out more places than if you were in Tokyo for 5-7 days.

2. Tokyo-only plan: If you want to jump straight into one of the most populated cities in the world, and also want to be on full-gear for your entire trip, head over to Tokyo.

3. Osaka-to-Tokyo plan: If you have the time and money, and want to ease into Japan, head over to Osaka before Tokyo. So, you have to first fly into Kansai International Airport, and then book a flight out from either Narita or Haneda (we recommend Haneda).

4. Tokyo-to-Osaka plan: If you have time and money, and you want to jump into the excitement (and craziness) that is Tokyo before taking it (a little) easy, go to Tokyo and then Osaka.

Planning a Trip to Japan ー Booking Flights, Accommodations, and Transportation

June 20, 2018July 25, 2018Accommodations, Booking Flights, FAQ, Trains, Shinkansen, TransportationLeave a Comment

Booking Flights

Prices for flights to Japan from Hawaii range from $650 to about $1000. However, if you travel on off-days, like Tuesday or Thursday, ticket prices are generally cheaper. So, if you are able to fly on a weekday, you can find some great deals.

We usually use Hawaiian Airlines because we fly out from Hilo, so we have to stop over in Honolulu to catch a flight to Japan. For those of you on the Big Island and you use Kona International Airport, Hawaiian Airlines has direct flights from Kona to Tokyo International Airport, which is commonly known as Haneda Airport.

Another important thing for travelers going to Tokyo, there are two major possible airports you can use: Narita International Airport and Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport). Narita International Airport is located in Chiba Prefecture, which is located next to Tokyo, but it is about 60-90 minutes away from central areas in Tokyo. Tokyo International Airport is located in Tokyo Bay, and you can take a direct train to Shinagawa, which is a major hub in Tokyo. So, depending where you are staying in Tokyo, we strongly recommend looking at how far you will have to travel from the airport to your hotel.

One last tip, which is connected to the next section about transportation. For example, you want to visit both Tokyo and Osaka in the same trip. How would you book your flights? We would recommend flying into Haneda Airport so you can check out Tokyo. Next, you would take a shinkansen (bullet train) to Osaka so you can do some sightseeing there. Lastly, you can fly out of Kansai International Airport, which is located near Osaka and also accessible directly from Kyoto. Flying into Kansai International Airport, and then flying out of Haneda Airport is another option as well.

Transportation (An Introduction)

Traveling to different parts of Japan when you are visiting might seem complicated, but once you understand how the system works, there’s no limit to where you can go. We will explain this topic in more detail in a future post, but there are rail passes, like the JR Rail Pass, which you can use to ride shinkansen that will take you across the country in a matter of hours.

Accommodations

Japan has a ton of options when it comes to accommodations. You can stay at a capsule hotel, where you can sleep in a small tube, or 5-star hotels. Capsule hotels are usually around $30-$50 a night, and 5-star hotels start at about $500 a night. We have found 4-star hotels for $150-$200 a night on weekdays when we are lucky to find this deal. So if you have already bought your tickets, and you are still looking for accommodations, keep doing your research! You might find a great hotel in a convenient area for an awesome deal!

Regarding the size of rooms, hotel rooms in Japan are generally small, about 200 sq. ft. So, it would be best to expect to have a smaller room.

Also, prices for hotels will vary depending on distance from a train station and also where the hotel is located. As mentioned above, if you land in Haneda Airport and want to stay near Shinagawa Station, which has direct access to Haneda Airport and is also a station where the shinkansen stops, prices will more than likely be a little higher. Taking all of this into consideration, we usually book a hotel that is in the $100-range and is also a 5-minute walk to the nearest train station.

Business hotels are another interesting option. Business hotel rooms are extremely small. You have a small desk, a small refrigerator under the desk, a TV on the desk, and your bed right next to the desk. So, if you have more than 2 suitcases, there’s almost no room to walk. However, if you are on a tight budget, prices per night at business hotels usually run under $100. We like business hotels because we explore all day and party hard in to the night! We only need a place for our luggage, take a shower, and to sleep.

If you really want a Japanese experience, you can stay at a ryokan (Japanese-style inn) that has an onsen (hot springs). The featured image is of a dinner at a ryokan, and it was ono!

Shopping in Japan

June 10, 2018FAQ, ShoppingLeave a Comment

Feature Image: The keyaki namiki (zelkova tree-lined street) which runs from Harajuku to Omotesando.

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Every major city in Japan will have at least one major shopping district. In Tokyo, there’s Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi, and Ginza to name just a few places. In Osaka, there’s Umeda, Dotonbori, Namba. In this post, we will introduce a few areas and stores to shop at.

Department Stores

Marui, Takashimaya, Mitsukoshi-Isetan are just a few department store groups which are nationwide. A variety of high-end stores can be found within department stores. Other reasonable stores, such as UNIQLO and MUJI, can also be found in department stores. The good thing about department stores is that everything is inside, so if it’s hot, cold, or raining, you don’t have to worry about the weather outside; also, there are usually a lot of restaurants on the top floors, so you can take a break from shopping a get some food or coffee.

Electronics

Japan has a reputation for their high-quality electronics: Sony, Panasonic, Nikon, Canon, Nintendo, and many more. If you’re a gamer, into anime or manga, Japanese idols, or looking for any kind of electronics, Akihabara is the place to go. Even if you aren’t looking to buy electronics, it’s cool to go and just walk around Akihabara for a few hours.

Bargain/Reasonable Shopping

Daiso is the place to go to buy all kinds of things for 100 Yen. Some Daiso stores have multiple floors or are huge, so be careful not to rack up a big bill at checkout!

Seria is another place to go to for a bargain on “miscellaneous goods” (zakka in Japanese). Miscellaneous goods would be clocks, pen holders, and other things you would put around your house.

If you need to get clothes because you forgot something or didn’t prepare for the weather, head over to UNIQLO where there prices are reasonable. If you’re more into H&M, there are H&M stores all over Japan.

Snacks

Japan has a lot of great snacks! Make sure you bring a extra suitcase just for snacks also!!!

Why Japan Is THE Travel Destination from Hawaii

May 21, 2018May 22, 2018FAQ, Food and Drink, Modern Culture/Spots, Nature, Shopping, Traditional Culture/SpotsLeave a Comment

1. Reasonable Overall Cost

The first thing you would have to do is buy your ticket to Japan. It goes without saying that ticket prices vary depending on which season you want to visit Japan. For example, if you want to enjoy the sakura or autumn foliage, these are the most expensive seasons to visit Japan, so you will have to pay a premium. In recent years, the average price for tickets to Japan for one person is about $1000 roundtrip.

The next thing you need to take into consideration is the currency exchange rate. Luckily, the Japanese Yen has been weaker than the U.S. dollar. If you have already planned a trip to Japan and haven’t exchanged dollars to yen, keep an eye out on the exchange rate!

Topics related to cost of transportation, food and drink, and shopping will be briefly explained below.

2. Best Public Transportation System in the World

Can you believe that train companies apologize for being 1 minute late?! That is how punctual the train system is in Japan. Not to mention busses connect areas which do not have trains, and these busses run close to their scheduled times even in traffic.

For locals in Japan, costs on public transportation is a little expensive compared to other countries in Asia, but as a visitor to Japan, you can purchase a JR Rail Pass which gives you access to almost all Shinkansen (Bullet Trains) and all local JR Lines. Using the JR Rail Pass and other available rail passes will be explained in detail in a future blog post.

3. Awesome Food and Drink

In Hawaii, our food portions are ridiculously big compared to the portions in Japan, BUT the quality of the food Japan is hard to beat. Also, you can eat quality food at a reasonable price if you look in the right places.

Fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, desserts, Japan has it all for you foodies! If you like to drink wine, whiskey, beer, Japanese sake, Japan has great choices for alcoholic beverages.

4. Fusion of Traditional Culture and Modern Culture

From temples, shrines, and castles to skyscrapers and crazy fashion trends, Japan is a mixture of traditional culture and modern culture.

5. Shopping

For those who like high-end brands, there are areas in Japan, such as Ginza in Tokyo, which have streets lined with these stores. If you are on a tight budget but want to get a bunch of omiyage for your family, friends, and colleagues, you can head over to Daiso to buy things priced at only 100 yen!

6. Nature

Japan is surrounded by the ocean, just like Hawaii, and mountains cover about 70% of the land; so, depending on the season you visit Japan, you can have different experiences outdoors.

In future blog posts, we will explain in detail various aspects of traveling in Japan. Stay tuned for more pictures and blog posts in the future! We’re still developing our content, but also check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Mahalo!!!