[cancer81]

BioProEng wrote:

can anyone help advice....

cause i will be at kyoto for new year, which temple might be good for the bell ringing thingy?

new year good to do what? i bw with my mum and sis... intend to let them wear the kimono rental, then go inari shrine, then walk the old street.

after maybe find a decent restaurant (hopefully about sgd 50+ per pax), for a god cny dinner. any recommendation? think need to pre-book place?

the big bell which is rung on New Year's Day is only for temple monks iirc besides the ceremony takes place on New Year's Day not CNY

you do ring a bell as part of the praying step at Shinto shrines though

Fushimi Inari is on the south side of Kyoto, I am not sure if you can rent kimono around that part. Gion is nearer Kyomizudera area instead (if that is what you are referring to as the old street)

I would say call ahead and book but I do not have any recommendations, you can try looking up tabelog. They got english site now

[cancer81]

@Greenaaron

regarding Nikko, it would be really better to stay there for at least 1 night. Just going to Kegon no taki and taking in Irohazaka's winding road sight along the way is going to take up to half a day. It takes roughly an hour to get there alone by bus. Sight seeing at the waterfall, lake chuzenji will take up a good amount of time.

.____. I sooooo need to go there again.... I only managed to cover so little over there

[cpuer]

cancer81 wrote:

the big bell which is rung on New Year's Day is only for temple monks iirc besides the ceremony takes place on New Year's Day not CNY

you do ring a bell as part of the praying step at Shinto shrines though

Fushimi Inari is on the south side of Kyoto, I am not sure if you can rent kimono around that part. Gion is nearer Kyomizudera area instead (if that is what you are referring to as the old street)

I would say call ahead and book but I do not have any recommendations, you can try looking up tabelog. They got english site now

i remember I saw more tourists in kimono in Higashiyama area than Fushimi Inari. The ambiance and the japanese-feel maybe is stronger there.

[djork84]

May I know if there are any recommended supermarket? Will be going Osaka and staying at Noda area. To buy drinks, fruits and maybe snacks.

[cpuer]

djork84 wrote:

May I know if there are any recommended supermarket? Will be going Osaka and staying at Noda area. To buy drinks, fruits and maybe snacks.

found a few here
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...20supermarkets

[Bullseye]

cpuer wrote:

if you can , its always better to buy in advance. Unless you are undecided or weather kind of freaky, otherwise just buy.

Thanks for the tip.
Planning to stay 2D1N over at Kawaguchiko and visit these places, not sure if its doable within the time frame (will be arriving there at around 10am and leaving next day at around 12pm).
Any comments or other recommendations are welcome! :

• Kachi kachi ropeway
• Chureito Pagoda
• Lake Motosuko (for the 1000yen view)
• Saiko Yachonomori Park
• Panorama Dai
• Fuji Kawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival (night)

[twtan14]

evilerniex wrote:

tokyo part can travel on ur own. so just take Hokkaido package, then extend and leave the tour group when reach tokyo.

Look like have to be this way. Actually saw a fly and drive package tour where you fly there then drive but got tour leaders to guide you. You are free to roam the city/town they bring you to at your own leisure. In the evening all will check in to hotel together.

[layang89]

Bullseye wrote:

Thanks for the tip.
Planning to stay 2D1N over at Kawaguchiko and visit these places, not sure if its doable within the time frame (will be arriving there at around 10am and leaving next day at around 12pm).
Any comments or other recommendations are welcome! :

• Kachi kachi ropeway
• Chureito Pagoda
• Lake Motosuko (for the 1000yen view)
• Saiko Yachonomori Park
• Panorama Dai
• Fuji Kawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival (night)

Hi Bullseye

I am planning to visit Fuji Kawaguchiko Autumn Leaves Festival (night) as well. My trip is mid-Nov. But i am not sure if the retro bus still operate beyond evening hours. Do you have any idea ?

[cancer81]

twtan14 wrote:

Look like have to be this way. Actually saw a fly and drive package tour where you fly there then drive but got tour leaders to guide you. You are free to roam the city/town they bring you to at your own leisure. In the evening all will check in to hotel together.

I would go for it if u see savings on the hotel and car rental....

[Illusionist_85]

Anywhere to buy cheaper fruits? One apple cost abt 300 yen

Need to jiak some fruits or veggies for the vitamins

[BioProEng]

cancer81 wrote:

the big bell which is rung on New Year's Day is only for temple monks iirc besides the ceremony takes place on New Year's Day not CNY

you do ring a bell as part of the praying step at Shinto shrines though

Fushimi Inari is on the south side of Kyoto, I am not sure if you can rent kimono around that part. Gion is nearer Kyomizudera area instead (if that is what you are referring to as the old street)

I would say call ahead and book but I do not have any recommendations, you can try looking up tabelog. They got english site now

yeah, my new year is as per new year not CNY.

the kimono i am only intending to rent from that old street area, then take metro down visit inari, and metro back, walk the old street before returning the kimono.

tabelog? ok thanks. i go check it out.

[BioProEng]

anybody knows about this site? is it trust worthy? cause thought of getting the 7day pass... or better go to one of the shop in sg to buy the rail pass?

https://www.japan-rail-pass.com/

[twosix]

Is this good enough for mid-December Sapporo?



or this:



Thanks.

[stars87]

twosix wrote:

Is this good enough for mid-December Sapporo?



or this:



Thanks.

Having lived there and read all the nonsense
On the "winter gear thread" with a chuckle.

No. Not necessary.

My criteria to assess is really simple:

- what's your threshold for coldness ?

- how long will u be spending outdoors ? Most people don't even spend 1.5 hours outdoor continuously in the snow

- what kit do you currently have ?

- do you know how to layer ?

- what are your key considerations ? Style, warmth, comfort, freedom of movement/less bulk.


This coat is good for those who
(1) don't want the hassle of layer. Coat on, coat off.
(2) intend to spend a lot of time outdoors
(3) also intend to spend a lot of time in warm heated places.

Sapporo is always really warm indoors. There's a saying amongst dosanko (道産子, those born of Hokkaido), they fear the cold the most.

[stars87]

Give you my real life example.

I kiasu brought two jackets, two softshell and bought another two coats there.

I went there overprepared with high end kit for what I thought was ten months of coldness and four months of snow

My kit:
North face quartz bomber (biggest bulkiest down)
Burton ski jacket (can't remember the model, light synthetic down, oversized for protection while skiing)
Columbia soft shell fleece (had two pieces)

Bought a
Long wool altierz trenchcoat from a flee market
Muji Japanese schoolboy style winter coat

Guess which one I wore the most ?

The trenchcoat and schoolboy wool coat.

Why ? Polyester long John and leg tights/compression shorts are the key to keep ing warm in winter. Ladies can substitute stockings for compression too. It works.

With a good base layer + long sleeve or short sleeve shirt and a heavy top (north face / Burton)/ I could go around all day, snowboarding and walking around in shiretoko with brother dreamer75.

But do that in the city, where I pop in and out of shops, or even a quick supermarket run, and the heavy coat traps so much heat, it becomes unbearably stifling.

So what I did was just base layer plus regular clothes plus a soft shell and the wool coat. Good enough for Sapporo. More mobility, style and less bao like ba chang. And the clothes can breathe too, they lose heat instead of trapping it in.