Fat And Furious: A Gluttonous Tour Of Japan (SQ Suites, ANA 787, RC Kyoto and more!)
May 10, 2015, 11:09 pm
#92
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: New Zealand
Programs: NZ Elite, QF Platinum (LTS), VA Platinum
Posts: 1,672
Wow what an "out there" place!! I've been debating japan thinking "what's there to do?" But you're answering that question for me quite nicely. Sorry if already mentioned but did you go during a festival period?? I quite like festivals. Or is this just cherry blossom season and the norm for japan? Eg dressed up people in go karts etc?
The island (matsuyama?) had loads of character, my kind of place.
Never really thought of japan as a food destination before. I had a mochi thing once in vietnam and it was one of the weirdest textured most delicious sweets ever! I've had Japanese but it doesn't seem to compare to what you're devouring!
Your trip report is better than anything on tripadvisor. So often it's "yeah it was good!" etc which barely tells you anything about a place.
I'll have to put it on the bucket list. I think my partner would love it! Lots of homework to do prior though by the looks of it.
Thank you
The island (matsuyama?) had loads of character, my kind of place.
Never really thought of japan as a food destination before. I had a mochi thing once in vietnam and it was one of the weirdest textured most delicious sweets ever! I've had Japanese but it doesn't seem to compare to what you're devouring!
Your trip report is better than anything on tripadvisor. So often it's "yeah it was good!" etc which barely tells you anything about a place.
I'll have to put it on the bucket list. I think my partner would love it! Lots of homework to do prior though by the looks of it.
Thank you
May 11, 2015, 8:58 am
#93
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
What a wonderfully delicious trip! I can only pray that if and when I finally get around to spending a week or three in Japan (gotta get out the Rosetta Stone CDs first!) I could do so in a style even half as nice as yours. Thanks for the tasty tour!
May 12, 2015, 9:40 am
#94
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 700
Cool! It's definitely a one-of-a-kind experience
Thanks, NZbutterfly! Glad that I could help showcase how much there is to see, do, and eat in Japan. I believe that the start of cherry blossom season is considered to be a festival period but in general I think that you can end up running into some of the cosplayers at any point in the year. It's really luck of the draw, but of course there's a higher probability in specific areas.
Happy that it's now on your bucket list, you'll love it!
Thanks, Seat 2A! The Rosetta Stone would be very helpful - the general level of English spoken by people outside the hotel really varied and most of the time we were just ordering and praying for the best 
Wow what an "out there" place!! I've been debating japan thinking "what's there to do?" But you're answering that question for me quite nicely. Sorry if already mentioned but did you go during a festival period?? I quite like festivals. Or is this just cherry blossom season and the norm for japan? Eg dressed up people in go karts etc?
The island (matsuyama?) had loads of character, my kind of place.
Never really thought of japan as a food destination before. I had a mochi thing once in vietnam and it was one of the weirdest textured most delicious sweets ever! I've had Japanese but it doesn't seem to compare to what you're devouring!
Your trip report is better than anything on tripadvisor. So often it's "yeah it was good!" etc which barely tells you anything about a place.
I'll have to put it on the bucket list. I think my partner would love it! Lots of homework to do prior though by the looks of it.
Thank you
The island (matsuyama?) had loads of character, my kind of place.
Never really thought of japan as a food destination before. I had a mochi thing once in vietnam and it was one of the weirdest textured most delicious sweets ever! I've had Japanese but it doesn't seem to compare to what you're devouring!
Your trip report is better than anything on tripadvisor. So often it's "yeah it was good!" etc which barely tells you anything about a place.
I'll have to put it on the bucket list. I think my partner would love it! Lots of homework to do prior though by the looks of it.
Thank you
Happy that it's now on your bucket list, you'll love it!
May 12, 2015, 9:51 am
#96
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Francisco
Programs: AS MVP Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 700
Agree that the language was a definitely a barrier, probably more-so than in any other country I've visited, but at the same time the people were so nice and went the extra mile to help us out.
And while there was no way to get around trouble understanding menus and ordering at restaurants, the hotspot rental and having a constant connection to Google maps was a godsend as we never really had to ask for directions.
May 12, 2015, 10:02 am
#97
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
I took 4 years of Japanese in high school, but at this point my spoken abilities are down to "konnichiwa" and "arigato". I can read hiragana/katakana and also Chinese so can sort of interpret some of the kanji, but overall my fluency is probably at a pre-school level.
Agree that the language was a definitely a barrier, probably more-so than in any other country I've visited, but at the same time the people were so nice and went the extra mile to help us out.
And while there was no way to get around trouble understanding menus and ordering at restaurants, the hotspot rental and having a constant connection to Google maps was a godsend as we never really had to ask for directions.
Agree that the language was a definitely a barrier, probably more-so than in any other country I've visited, but at the same time the people were so nice and went the extra mile to help us out.
And while there was no way to get around trouble understanding menus and ordering at restaurants, the hotspot rental and having a constant connection to Google maps was a godsend as we never really had to ask for directions.
May 12, 2015, 2:38 pm
#98
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: NCL
Programs: FB Plat; BAEC Gold
Posts: 930
People in the service industry had enough English for me to get buy, hotel staff had no problem speaking fluently. I found it the same as visiting any non English speaking country.
May 12, 2015, 8:22 pm
#99
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: CGK SIN PER ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,813
I tend to believe most people are good in nature and more than willing to help if needed.
That said, thank you OP for the TR, looking forward to hitting Japan again.
May 13, 2015, 5:09 am
#100
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, *A Silver
Posts: 4,896
It really didn't cause me any issues. As with the OP I used a pocket wifi for maps, train times etc, but most signs in train stations, departments stores etc. have English on also.
People in the service industry had enough English for me to get buy, hotel staff had no problem speaking fluently. I found it the same as visiting any non English speaking country.
People in the service industry had enough English for me to get buy, hotel staff had no problem speaking fluently. I found it the same as visiting any non English speaking country.
I have to respectfully disagree. I went to Tokyo for the first time alone in 2011, did not speak the language and was able to get around fine. Went 3 more times after, to include Osaka/Kyoto and Tokyo again and it was absolutely one of the best place I have been to. Notwithstanding, hitting Istanbul, Seoul, and other places where I did not speak the language, was fine too.
I tend to believe most people are good in nature and more than willing to help if needed.
I tend to believe most people are good in nature and more than willing to help if needed.
May 13, 2015, 10:02 am
#104
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: San Francisco
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Posts: 700