Well guys, the aisan area has been quiet lately, so i thought i would try and give it a bit more life.

I would like to know everyones favourite places in Japan or other parts of asia and why? The question is very open, and could be for any reason. Please post pictures, if you have them of the area.

I will start,

Well ive been in Japan, two years in April and have done a fair bit of travel around western Japan. Ive been to Tokyo, but only to visit my family working there, and didnt really get much of a look, apart from a cool custom scooter ride around the city.

Of all the great places ive been to, i really like Shikoku. I went white water rafting in Shikoku last summer and found it to be picture perfect. The mountains and the hills are sprinkled with waterfalls and the rivers look crystal clear. Unfortunately i didnt drive there last time, as the train is so much cheaper, but i would really like to drive all around Shikoku. We caught a bus which drove us to some local places, and the roads had a kind of initial D romance about them. The mountains make a perfect location for driving and photos.



A picture of yours truely. The bridge in the background is suppose to be really old and the funny thing was that in the middle of the forest on each end of the bridge were ticket machines. Nothing in Japan is free.

 

Sapporo in the winter time is awesome! I spent 4 days there, including X-mas day back in '00.

Kyoto is awesome for sightseeing. Lots of nice photo ops there.

Osaka - the food was awesome and everybody was mondo cool.

Chichibu (near Gunma) - Beautiful mountain area! People are cool, Route 199 is an awesome Touge experience and the food was excellent.

Nagasaki - The Bomb museum will make your heart sink, Glover Garden was cool, and the dutch section of Nagasaki makes you think you are not in Japan.

Fukuyama - really laid back place! I felt like I was in Mayberry!

Fukuoka - love the Yatai's on the river near Canal city!

Okinawa - awesome awesome awesome but would be better if there wasn't so much ignorance down here (military and Japanese sides)

Oki no Erabu - water is blue all the way up to the port. Very friendly people who love to drink!

I'll post pics later

 

After 6 years here, I give no fark for sightseeing - it's all the same, pretty much.

You did stumble onto one of the nicest places in Japan though - the Iya valley in Shikoku is about as unspoiled as Japan gets (which isn't saying much).

I've been there a couple of times (great road trip in the FD).



as for asia - give me Vietnam any day. Any place you can go to the range and fire m60s, .30 cal MGs, AKs, M16s, etc, all day - gets my vote

 

 

May i ask why your still in Japan then? I really have to strongly disagree, i really like travelling in Japan, i think there is so much to see, temples, snowy onsens, tropical beaches, mountain roads, massive cities the list goes on. The cities all look the same, but there is so much to see in the countryside and lots of history. We stayed in a small village of Fukuya recently, its located high up in the mountains of Okayama and had some amazing buildings with some great woodwork. Most Japanese who have been here there whole lives choose to travel in Japan.

Having a go with an AK sounds pretty cool though! I think i would really like to go to Vietnam at some stage.

yeah, thats one good thing about Okayama is that it gives me alot more access to places like shikoku, Hiroshima and Osaka. Shikoku is only 25 minutes away. Im planning a surf trip to Kochi sometime this year. I would love to drive there, but the tolls (7000yen) on the bridge over are just to expensive compared to taking the train (1000yen). We went to Konpira san on sunday for a day trip which is in Shikoku and has 1300steps to climb before reaching the highest point. There are some amazing and famous temples along the path and some great views. It took us more than 2 hours to reach the top!

I think that the popular destinations are over rated in Japan, its those things that you find on your way to these destinations that is of interest the most.

 

I'm in Japan for work. I love my job. Though I certainly don't love the Japanese as a people (I would never, ever work for them again), I think their society is great.

I think you'll find, with the exception of the elderly (who have nothing better to do), that the majority of the Japanese actually prefer to travel outside of Japan - and one of the reasons is that it's cheaper.

 

i went to japan last year and staye din kobe. it was a nice city, and it was close to osake, kyoto, etc...

i forbget which road it was but not too far from wher ei was staying there was a road that lots of people were drifting down, although according to some of the local tuners, its bene used less and less since the cops put a station at the base. i also recommend checking out the herb gardens and such. it was such a beautiful ride up the mountain

 

I've been in Singapore for a few weeks now (interning with Temasek until July 9). It is really nice down here, and the food is fantastic. I took a trip up to malaysia... not so much... seemed very poor in comparison. Never been to Japan.

 

I liked Tokyo alot but id have to say I really enjoyed Mt. Rokko outside of Kobe. Took the shinkansen to Osaka from Tokyo for the 2007 7's event last year and was lucky to have a native willingly take me to Super Autobacs Kobe and cruise through Mt. Rokko.

 

Malaysia Poor?? You;ve yet to see Malaysia. Comparatively Singapore is the size of 1 major city in Malaysia. With regards to the car scene, we have singaporeans travelling here to run track days/events because they dont have their own. I go to singapore pretty often and apart from visiting a couple of uni mates and hanging out with them Singapore is by far "sterile" Shoot me a pm if you're anywhere near Kuala Lumpur.

Back to the topic, I absolutely love thailand. Leaving this thursday for 10 days and looking forward to diving and knocking back beers by the beach.

 

Seoul - it's just an awesome city that has everything you could need. My grandmother actually has her house on the mountain in the backround so we had all the city stuff without being directly in it. She is actually the only house on a National Park, but the government is trying to buy her house. The arcades are great, PC bangs (internet cafes), karaoke, alcohol, scenic places, and shopping. Lot's of shopping and lots of bartering. You don't pay full price for ANYTHING. Cell phones with radios and television (my grandmothers phone from like 5 years ago). Fresh food in the market sometimes living. Great restaurants. Jeju island off the south point is a really great place for more of a vacation and getaway from the city type of thing.