User:(WT-en) Welmu/Japan2006

Flight

 * Helsinki (Terminal 2) - Nagoya
 * Departure: 26.6.2006 17:15
 * Arrival: 27.6.2006 08:55
 * Nagoya - Helsinki (Terminal 2)
 * Departure: 11.7.2006 11:00
 * Arrival: 11.7.2006 15:10

Websites with information about Japan

 * http://www.japan-guide.com/
 * http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/index_en.htm
 * http://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Japan
 * http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/
 * http://www.japanesekimono.com/index.htm
 * http://japundit.com/index.php

Other

 * http://www.ktl.fi/portal/suomi/julkaisut/oppaat_ja_kirjat/matkailijan_terveysopas/
 * http://www.jwa.or.jp/fcst/index-e.html

Compiled Guides for Special Regions

 * (WT-en) Tokyo, Wiki Travel Tokyo
 * (WT-en) Nagoya, Wiki Travel Nagoya
 * (WT-en) Kyoto, Wiki Travel Kyoto
 * (WT-en) Sapporo, Wiki Travel Nagoya
 * (WT-en) Osaka, Wiki Travel Nagoya
 * (WT-en) Hiroshima, Wiki Travel Nagoya


 * Move this to nagoya! Capsule Inn Nagoya, ¥2800/night

Getting around

 * Japan Rail Pass
 * Map
 * 7-day: ¥28300
 * 14-day: ¥45100
 * Available in:
 * Finland Travel Bureau / Suomen Matkatoimisto
 * HELSINKI QUALITY TOURS Hietalahdenkatu 3, 00180 Helsinki, FINLAND 	TEL 09-686-6980 FAX 09-694-3834
 * TQ3 Travel Solutions
 * Kohdematkat Kaleva
 * Intia-Keskus


 * http://www.zone81.com/arch_sections/trains
 * http://www.mapion.co.jp/c/f?el=139/46/13.597&scl=10000&size=954,768&uc=1&grp=MapionBB&nl=35/40/41.097
 * http://grace.hyperdia.com/cgi-english/hyperd01.cgi

Weather

 * Rainy season from early June to mid July

Eat
Nihon ryõri (Japanese cuisine)

Ramen
Here are legendary ramen shops with top ranked ramen dishes. They have played pioneering roles in Tokyo Ramen scene, leaving tremendous impact on late-comers.
 * Taishoken @ Higashiikebukuro http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/HITaishoken.html
 * Jiro @ Mita http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Jiro@Honten.html
 * Ganso Ebisu Ramen http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/GansoEbisu.html
 * Sabuchan http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Sabuchan.html
 * Kiraku http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Kiraku.html

Other

 * O-konomi-yaki (Can be acquired from Osaka and Hiroshima)

Things to see or do in Tokyo

 * http://www.ninja.tv/top.html - Ninja Restaurant

Ninja Villages and Ninja Museums

 * Koga Ninja Village / Ninja Museum
 * Address: 394 oki Koga-cho Koga-gun Shiga prefecture 520-3405*free shuttle buses available from JR Kusatsu line Koga station.
 * Phone: 1-81-748-88-5000 / FAX 1-81-748-88-2108
 * Open: 10am-4:30pm
 * Closed: Mondays
 * Fee: Adult 1000yen Middle school/ high school student 800yen Elementary school student 700yen child (over 3) 500yen


 * Kogaryu Ninjutsu Yashiki (Ninja House)
 * Address: Konan-cho Koga-gun Shiga prefecture 520-33
 * Phone: 1-81-748-86-2179 / FAX: 1-81-748-86-7500
 * Open: 9am-4:30pm
 * Closed: Dec.27-Jan.1
 * Fee: Adult (includes middle school student) 500yen / Elementary school student 300yen

Star Festival (Tanabata festival)
Colorful Tanabata festivals are held across Japan in early July (7th of July) and August. Among the biggest and most famous ones are the Tanabata Festivals of Sendai in August and Hiratsuka near Tokyo in July.

Tokyo Summer Festival
"Songs of the Earth—Music in the Streets." Musicians and performers from across the globe. July 5-Aug 6, see website for details. http://www.arion-edo.org/tsf

Ramen
Here are legendary ramen shops with top ranked ramen dishes. They have played pioneering roles in Tokyo Ramen scene, leaving tremendous impact on late-comers.
 * Taishoken @ Higashiikebukuro http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/HITaishoken.html
 * Jiro @ Mita http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Jiro@Honten.html
 * Ganso Ebisu Ramen http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/GansoEbisu.html
 * Sabuchan http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Sabuchan.html
 * Kiraku http://www.worldramen.net/Tokyo/Kiraku.html

Koenji Rock City

 * See V-lehti article about Tokyo (fin)

Ueno Zoo

 * Pandas, Gorillas, etc.
 * Admission for adults: 600 yen
 * Ueno Zoo opens 9:30am. to 5:00pm (tickets sold until 4:00pm) and closes every Monday (closes Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday).

Sumo Stadium (Kokugikan Stadium) and Sumo village
Check with your hotel's concierge or the Tokyo Journal about the possibility of catching a sumo match while in town. You should attempt to book your tickets well in advance as they sell-out quickly. Walk around the stadium and the nearby sumo village. Sumo wrestlers as far as the eye can see. The crowd around the stadium treats the event like it's the Academy Awards. The amazing thing is that while fans view the wrestlers as being nearly god-like, the wrestlers just seem to wander around aimlessly in the public. Sumos waiting in line for train tickets, Sumos riding a bikes home from the market. They're really just everyday kind of guys

See 2006 July Grand Sumo Tournament

 * Sun. July 9th, 2006 - Sun. July 23rd, 2006
 * Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya
 * Advanced ticket purchases will be made at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium from June 8th. Tickets: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/ticket/index.html
 * On-line tickets available now
 * Event website: http://event.chunichi.co.jp/sumo/e/top_e.html
 * Sumo organization website: http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/

Spotting Geishas

 * wiki reference: Geisha
 * As a common tourist, you may be able to spot a maiko in some districts of Kyoto, such as Gion and Pontocho or in Kanazawa's Higashi Geisha District.

Feel the Kyoto Gion Matsuri festival

 * Gion Matsuri is one of the largest festivals in Japan. During the month of July, the ancient capital city of Kyoto seems to travel back in time.
 * General info about the festival at http://users.cihost.com/ata/gionmatsuri.html also google results some good additional info

Ninja Museum
Seems like this is the same place:
 * In Iga Ueno, near Osaka.
 * Information in Japan Guide
 * Iga-ryu Ninja Museum
 * Address: Uedo Park Matunouchi Ueno-city Mie prefecture
 * Phone: 1-81-595-23-0311
 * Open: 9am - 5pm
 * Closed: Dec.29-Jan.1

Things to see or do in Hokkaido

 * Ninja Fort / Village Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura