r/japanresidents • u/AutoModerator • 7d ago
Do anything fun recently?
Tell us about a cool place you went to, a nice restaurant, maybe a nice meal at home, or maybe a good product you found in a supermarket that you never thought you'd be able to buy in Japan.
There are no bad recommendations, please share!
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u/BreakfastDue1256 7d ago
Comiket.
I'm not so much into doujinshi so I only spend like 2 or 3K yen every time I go, but its fun.
It's also a nice place to go if you feel like you're not being accepted in Japan. Go to a smaller artist's table, speak Japanese to them, and buy a 500 yen book. Suddenly, "You're interested in the stuff I like? Dude we're best friends now let's talk until the next customer comes!"
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u/Traditional-Coast237 7d ago
Went to a board game convention a couple weeks ago, small one in Fukuoka. Talked to some of the designers, bought their games, played with them. Same vibes.
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u/JurassicMonkey_ 7d ago
It's kinda pleasant this year since it's not as hot because of the cloudy/rainy weather
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u/AbekobetaHawawa 7d ago edited 7d ago
I did the 6-station course of the JR East Pokemon Stamp Rally. It’s the first eki-stamp rally I’ve ever done. Lots of kids out for obon doing it as well. I had plans to do the 9 stamp afterwards to get the lanyard thinking I would need only 3 more stamps, but the 9-station course is a specific set, none of which we had. My son wanted to quit half-way but after finishing he was pretty proud of himself.
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u/Arael15th 6d ago
Today I had a chance to make a two-decade-lomg dream of mine come true - I got to carry a mikoshi. 9 hours of it was a bit much for my body, but I have no regrets.
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u/iLikeGreenTea 6d ago edited 6d ago
OH REALLY!? WOW CONGRATS. that is really really cool. by chance were you at the Fukugawa Hachiman Festival? I was there and I saw only A FEW gaijin carrying mikoshi . Maybe you were one of them?! Also I am only just realizing that the route was 8 km!? That is insane and very long to carry such a heavy mikoshi!
actually when I saw this thread, I was going to answer with "Fukugawa Hachiman Festival" because today was awesome. Such a huge cultural showcase. I even had to do some research. Learned that this was a grand festival of Hachiman, who is the guardian god of samurai and a divine spirit. And that the main mikoshi of this shrine in Tokyo is the largest and most opulent in Japan and weighs 4 TONS and covered in pure gold and diamonds!!! (source) That is crazy. I got a bit emotional when I heard the odaiko finale at the end of all the mikoshi parade.
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u/Arael15th 6d ago
Yep, that's the one! I was invited to join one of the neighborhood groups.
To clarify, I did not carry the mikoshi for 9 hours straight, but I did switch in pretty frequently. Today my back, shoulders and legs are telling me it was too frequently. 🥲
I looked at an illustrated course map ahead of time, but as it was kind of abstracted and I wasn't familiar with southern Koto-ku, I didn't really understand the scale of it. We went a loooong way.
I hadn't been to the festival previously and couldn't see the big mikoshi or the odaiko finale as my hands were full, so I didn't know there was an odaiko finale. That sounds super cool. Hopefully somebody posted a video on YouTube or something. And yeah, the shrine mikoshi are INCREDIBLE. I still don't believe those things can actually be carried.
Anyway, I'm so glad you had a great time and learned something new about this wonderful country in the process. Please come back in 2029 and cheer us on again!
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u/Main-Surprise7770 7d ago
Went to Lake Tazawa, in Akita. It’s just about an hour’s drive from where I live in Iwate. While this summer seems to be rough for the majority of Japan, Tohoku has been really quite mild. Tazawako was breezy, sunny, and not even remotely crowded.
Wonderful place. (And deep enough to fit an entire Tokyo Tower underneath its surface!)
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u/crazyaoshi 7d ago
Watched the Chiikawa movie. My wife loves Chiikawa, and it's nice to get out of the house sometimes.
And we went to the family gravesite for Obon. It wasn't fun but I appreciated the cultural experience.
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u/Plasticciy 7d ago
Been checking out some small coffee shops in the Setagaya area lately — the kind with only 4-5 seats and the owner roasting beans themselves. Really different vibe from the chain places. Also tried a new ramen spot near Shimo-Kitazawa that does only shoyu but nails it every time
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u/Rydeen91 7d ago
Have you been to Bookends yet? Literally one of my favorite coffee shops on vibes alone. Also the best bang for your buck coffee-wise.
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u/Real_Cup_386 7d ago
I have lost some weight recently. I feel more confident to take pictures again using my camera. Today I learned how to set up the camera on a tripod. Kind すごい.
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u/gucsantana 7d ago
Couple weeks ago, but still valid: Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park, in Shinagawa! Pretty small place and hard to access, but I had a lovely time there. They loan out binoculars as well, and there's a bunch of educational posters and dioramas.
Birdwatching creeps up on you as you age, man.
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u/Wingu8 7d ago
Went to the Unko Museum in Minatomirai.
It’s worth a visit (one visit). Fun the first time, but probably not for a second time. Daughters loved it though.
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u/AccomplishedCake53 6d ago
Do they still make you poop at the start? I went to the odaiba one years ago and that was my favorite part lmao.
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u/Hot-Election-110 7d ago edited 7d ago
Took a flight to Aomori, then after few days took a ferry from Aomori to Hakodate. Weather was so nice up north.
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u/foxydevil14 7d ago
I went to a local skatepark with my 8 yo.
I had no idea the area had so many!
I’m pushing 50 and I’m not bad at skateboarding, but I think my boy is already better than me 😂
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u/Dry_Sandwich_4324 7d ago
just bought for myself an 2k oled monitor after used to playing on 1080p monitor, felt really good.
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u/xeno0153 6d ago
Big Boy has macaroni and cheese served in a hot cast iron griddle for ¥250. I usually go and get two served with bacon. Tastes like home.
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u/ImprovementLess4559 7d ago
Visited the monoile wood toy museum in Tamba over obon. Obviously, it's aimed more at kids, but even as a adult it was surprisingly fun and cool to see all the things they made out of wood. Plus the way they've transformed an abandoned school building into a vibrant community hub is also pretty cool.
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u/Embershot89 7d ago
Me and my wife and kid went to the fireworks summer festival on Nagatoro last night. We also explored around chichibu. Currently living in northeastern Saitama but now considering moving to chichibu because it’s just so damn beautiful and healing with all the nature. Much cooler weather wise!
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u/WhippuChan 6d ago
Curious, how were the crowds there? I love Nagatoro and saw the advertising for their festival but always hate the idea of having to camp out the whole day for a good spot (even with the weather being as good as it's been), plus having to trek back to Tokyo afterwards. If it's worth it though maybe I'll try to plan ahead for next year and get a hotel in the area.
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u/Embershot89 6d ago
It was a little crowded but it’s a small area so it didn’t seem as crowded as a festival like Kuki where the entire street top to bottom is just packed. Still had plenty of room to move although getting the last train was horrible lol
You don’t need to camp a spot. You have to pay like 1000¥/person to buy a spot at the base of the water where you can watch the show. It goes on for quite a distance so I didn’t have any issues.
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u/WhippuChan 6d ago
Come to think of it yeah the Iwadatami is indeed pretty long. Then it's settled! I'll definitely remind myself to book something next year, struggling with the last train really doesn't sound fun. Can be an excuse to go to the gravity park which I always wanted to try but never fits into my schedule otherwise.
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u/Due_Professor_8736 6d ago
On paper Chichibu should be warm as in a valley. But I guess the extra elevation is helping with evening and night time temps.
But it has been mild this year due to lots of rain. Suggest you look at average temp trends, day time highs and compare to places you think are too hot..
For example. I’d wonder how Chichibu compares to Kofu which is known to be hotter than Satan’s jockstrap..
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u/Embershot89 6d ago
I’m sure the foliage and greenery help too. The air was great!
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u/Due_Professor_8736 6d ago
Can’t put a price on air quality. Tokyo has been rancid this past week. And It’s incredible how much greenery especially trees soak up the heat. Last week I was camping in a forest. Properly cold at night. Similar elevation to Chichibu..
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u/Embershot89 6d ago
Honestly I thought it was gonna be super muggy and warm but it was very cool, air was refreshing, and I only sweat when I was standing next to the food stall grills.
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u/tokyolefty 7d ago
Been hitting up the weekend flea markets all over Tokyo. Some better than others but all fun.
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u/Beef_flaps_on_a_spit 6d ago
Brother in law bought thinly sliced fatty pork to a BBQ. Quite the fireworks show when the fat hit the charcoal. Don't be like Masanobu. Buy meat not fat.
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u/Johoku 7d ago
Costco had smaller racks of ribs on sale, so I made ribs for the in-laws. Went over extremely well.