Quote:
Originally Posted by Sangetsu
Tokyo is not small, but you can cover the more interesting parts on foot, taking a train, subway, or bus if necessary. I often go on hikes or bike rides around the city. On Monday I spend the day walking in Shinjuku, then took the train to Kanda, and from there I walked to Yurakucho to get my hair cut, then Ginza to get groceries at Mitsukoshi, then to Tsukiji to take a few pictures, and then to Tsukishima to have monjayaki for late lunch. Then I walked home, and ended up spending about 7 hours on my feet.
The weather in April will not be hot, it may in fact be a little chilly then. If you come early enough (the first week) you can enjoy the cherry blossoms, but later in the month or May will still be pleasant. June is the rainy season, and July it becomes truly hot and humid, so avoid those months if you can.
Don't knock seafood, it tastes better in Japan than it does in other countries, due to the different types used, and the preparation. Otherwise you can find plenty of places which serve beef, chicken, or pork.
There are Buddhist temples where one can spend the night, or even several nights, for a small fee. But these temples are not very common, and you usually have to book in advance. I am thinking of spending a couple of weeks at a Zen Buddhist retreat next summer, getting the experience to live as a regular monk. I am not a Buddhist, but all are welcome.
The best deals on airfare tend to be found at the usual internet travel sites. I used to use priceline.com, where I could bid on tickets. You might need to make an extra stop or two on your trip, but you can save as much as 50% on the quoted price.
For carrying hour stuff, get a good quality backpack, and make sure you wear it properly. The weight of the pack is supposed to be carried by your hips, and not your shoulders. I've done many years of hiking and climbing, and I took a class on how to set up a backpack/rucksack at the US Army's Ranger school. You might be surprised at how much you can carry in a properly set up pack.
You don't need to bring anything special. For long hikes I like to wear decent quality Asolo boots, jeans or shorts, and an old scout shirt. You should also bring a pair of comfortable sneakers or athletic shoes, and shower shoes/flip flops. Sunscreen is a must, and a hat and sunglasses won't hurt. Don't bring any knives, the laws in Japan are pretty strict. It's easy enough to buy any kind of knife here, but anything bigger than a keychain type Swiss Army knife could get you into trouble in the unlikely event that you are questioned by the police.
For mountain hiking you'll find plenty around Tokyo. Takao-zan is the most popular, and it has a variety of trails, some easier than others. There are also several trails in other parts of Kanagawa which are less than an hour from metro Tokyo. You can find a list of maps on the internet.
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Dude...
I don't know what about your post I liked... but... I'm feeling pretty awesome about this, right now.
Seven hours is pretty awesome exercise, and it isn't insane. Sounds great!
Chilly sounds nice, too. Perfect for someone like me.
I guess I'll try some seafood over there... I'm surprised you convinced me with such a short statement...
For temple visits - I've been looking into quite a few recently. They look to be a bit more expensive than a hostel, but they look like a pretty interesting experience, all the same.
I'll have to check out your reference site...
Backpack... backpack... backpack... my dad used to go out and rough it quite often. I can probably use his old stuff.
As for knives... err... I'm not really the type of person to carry arms. I've already got a perfectly fine weapon biologically built into me - my body! Woohoo!
You've been pretty optimistically awesome about this, San. Thanks.