Topic: Japan Discussion

Hey thanks! Now I have a trip planned out for one of my future summers.

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Also - try not to go to Japan in summer. It's not pleasant. I had the misfortune of spending a week in Japan last summer, and thanks to power restrictions, air conditioners were not working as much as they usually do. The result was not fun. <_<

By that I mean it's painfully humid and hot. The best times in Japan are in Autumn or Spring, or winter in the far north (winter festival).

Unless you come from a tropical/ humid area of the world, in which case give winter and autumn a miss, because those can be painfully cold and humid.

Japan was... blessed... with seasonal extremes. Always humid, but the temperature varies wildly.

If I'm fine with the heat (as in 90 degrees doesn't even bother me) would you still say it's not best to go during summer? Either way, thanks. If I ever get a chance to visit the country I guess I'll go during spring. Either way I have years to actually plan out a quality trip.

The benefit to going in Spring is the cherry blossoms. If at all possible, go then.

Going in early Spring also means you could be there for Golden Week. That's a really fun time to be in Japan.

Just saw on the news that the lower house of the Diet passed a set of bills that would double Japan's consumption tax (the upper house is expected to pass it as well).

Yeah, that's a huge win that's going to cost Noda his party leadership, but utterly essential to start to curb Japan's massive economic problems.

@Waltz, have you had fugu before in Japan? If so, how was it?

I have seafood allergies, so no, I have not.

My better half has and apparently it was nothing special. She survived though, so I guess that counts as Fugu-eating mission accomplished.

Do I want to know what Fugu is?

@Aviator Wikipedia is your friend

Honestly, here in Japan is it common for a person to never in their life eat Fugu. It's really a novelty for the rich. And from what I've heard from people that I know who HAVE had it, its nothing special at all.

Have you never seen The Simpsons?

I guess fugu is one of those "authentically" Japanese things that, whilst is by rights an authentic dish, just doesn't exist nearly as commonly as people assume. Sort of like putting Guinness in just about everything to make it "authentically Irish" (Guinness and Steak Pie is fair play, but beyond that it's not quite so authentic), or making Indian food really hot - it's hot in India but not nearly as hot as Indian dishes served around the rest of the world

If I'm not mistaken, Fugu is some sort of poisonous fish. It has to be prepared very expertly, or you could die.

I could be wrong, but I swore I heard that somewhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugu

That thing is creepy.

Yes fugu is poisonous if not prepared right, I love Japan, but I don't think I'll have fugu ever

Guess I should have just said pufferfish.

That's the fish used for Fugu? I always thought it looked like Quilfish...

Watching a short little documentary on Azumino and the Japan Alps. Seems like an incredibly peaceful place to be (the river tour looks like something I'd do).

That's actually what I'd like to go to Japan for (in addition to going to Akihabara and buying tons of Gundam merchandise). I grew up reading about Japanese culture (the actual culture, not the anime and video game cultures. I didn't have access to that kind of stuff in the school library), so while my knowledge of Japan is fairly dated, there are still lots of stuff I'd like to see - holidays, shrines, places where historical and mythical events took place, etc, and there's so much more I'd love to learn about that I don't think I'd all get in a class room.