Top 5 To Do List

[losdutchmen]

Ok, seems like there has been a lot of stress and grumpiness on here lately. Understandable. How about a distraction? Some positive thinking. IF you are selected, what are the top 5 things you want to "do" in Japan?

I'll start:
1) Visit Sengaku-ji, burial place of the 47 Ronin
2) Plant rice
3) See the sun rise over the Pacific
4) Eat sushi that was in the ocean less than 24 hours ago
5) ONSEN in the snow!


Who's next?

[Terin317]

1. Visit the hot springs snow monkeys.

That's it. That's my singular Japan-related fantasy. No joke.

[stefaluff]

Good post!

For me I think it will be:
1. see an ancient shrine
2. eat fresh-fresh sushi
3. find a good hanami spot
4. make some new friends
5. go to one of these after-school parties I've been hearing all about, and drink sake!!

[eFred]

1. Become a ninja
2. Realize the error of my ways and become samurai
3. Teach my class kalid slang
4. Visit the Kiso Valley
5. Become very very cool when I finally go home

[stefaluff]

oi! i should've put take a judo class too! that would be #6 i guess

[dtrue]

1. Meet up with old friends that I haven't seen in years.
2. Eat delicious katsu from a restuarant that gives out tickets.
3. Visit the golden shrine again.
4. Go to all you can drink karaoke.
5. Go shopping in Tokyo.

[merkypie]

* Visit all the historical battle sites of the Shinsengumi
* Visit Kyoto and learn more about where my family came from
* Take part in the local activities in my town
* Try to visit every prefecture at least once. Should be doable
* Collect allll the kayokyoku 45s.

[bananathursdays]

1) Take a picture with the suggestive looking Tokyo Tower mascot.
2) Get a crepe. (Apparently, this is a thing in Japan, even though crepes aren't Japanese? All my friends who did study abroad have pictures of eating crepes and they look delicious.)
3) See kinkakuji, the golden temple
4) Go to the Studio Ghibli museum.
5) Have a picnic under cherry blossom trees.

[tashikanakoto]

I love this idea! Gives me some distraction right now.

1. See the Snow Festival in Sapporo.
2. Climb Mt. Fuji again... but this time, from the very base of it!
3. "Brush up" on calligraphy (ha.)
4. Learn taiko! (or another traditional instrument)
5. See the Shoso-in exhibit. (The Shoso-in is an ancient warehouse in Nara where emperors during the 8th century stored their treasures from the Silk Road. Everything there is still technically the property of the Imperial Household, and once a year they display some of the items at the Nara National Museum).

BONUS! Do the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, or any other pilgrimage. (88 temples of Shikoku, anyone?)
BONUS! Visit Nikko, Kyoto, Nara, Mt. Koya, Matsushima.... everywhere!
BONUS! Learn to cook delicious Japanese food.
BONUS! Realize my dream of being dressed up like a geisha. (I'm a guy, but who cares? Who doesn't want to be a beautiful geisha?)

Hokay, I'd better stop now, or else this list will be longer than the Tale of Genji... oo! oo! I also want to visit the Tale of Genji Museum in Uji.

[eacat]

2. Climb Mt. Fuji again... but this time, from the very base of it!

Actually did that. By myself. It was an...adventure. My Japanese acquaintances were really shocked. I chalked it up to silly, youthful stupidity. Apparently there are bears and monkeys that you need to be aware of. I didn't run into any, thankfully!

I took the Fuji Yoshida trail up, and at the lower levels the path isn't as well taken care of. Lots of rocks, so you spend more time looking at your feet than watching the scenery. I think I saw one person during the 4+ hour journey to the 5th station.

But I would totally do it again. So, if you want company, let me know. I may be less youthful, but I'm still silly and stupid.

Speaking of which, I would love to visit Aokigahara, the suicide woods at the base of Mt. Fuji on the NW side.

[greengoo]

1. Go see AKB48 KAWAIII
2. Cosplay as my favorite pokemon KAWAIII
3. Climb mount Fuji-San mountain KAWAIII
4. Visit a maid cafe KAWAIII
5. Stay at a Bhuddist monetary KAWAIII

[Patryn]

1) Visit Sengaku-ji, burial place of the 47 Ronin

a bunch of ALTs and stuff actually got to dress up as the 47 Ronin and run around Ako chasing Kira and stuff near the end of last year for a TV special. It was heaps of fun! Also, there were Hello Kitty (more likely Dear Daniel) phone charms - one for each of the ronin! hahahaha.

[Queequeg]

1 visit some of the famous shrines in Nara (any will do/the bigger the better)
2 visit the grave of Jesus Christ in Aomori
3 sip sake in the shade of a cherry blossom tree on a warm/sunny day.
4 ride a train or bike through a long distance of scenic country vista.
5 snowy mountain onsen sake! (I decided against tattoos recently to help facilitate this)

Also, less goals but important:
shopping trip in yokohama (just for the reference, no actual interest in the stores)
Fujisan!!!
Walking home with my tie on my head holding a cake/gift box

I'm trying to keep my goals reasonable for a tourist just in case that's how they need to be done, ne?

[losdutchmen]

1) Visit Sengaku-ji, burial place of the 47 Ronin

a bunch of ALTs and stuff actually got to dress up as the 47 Ronin and run around Ako chasing Kira and stuff near the end of last year for a TV special. It was heaps of fun! Also, there were Hello Kitty (more likely Dear Daniel) phone charms - one for each of the ronin! hahahaha.

What a fitting gift!!! I'm sure the original Ronin are honored

[Mark_KyotoPA]

1. Go see AKB48 KAWAIII
2. Cosplay as my favorite pokemon KAWAIII
3. Climb mount Fuji-San mountain KAWAIII
4. Visit a maid cafe KAWAIII
5. Stay at a Bhuddist monetary KAWAIII

EDIT: Might as well give a list too.

1- Visit my old dorm manager in Tokyo.
2- Head back to our old haunts in Tokyo.
3- Visit a company I worked at in Shizuoka.
4- Go back to where I was at the time the earthquake hit.
5- See Girls' Generation in concert.