Going to Japan
 

At some point early in my upcoming cruise, I'll be headed to Japan... probably August.

I've been doing some homework online and don't have a clue what I want to do while I'm there. I'll have about 3days max... maybe only 2 full days. We'll pull into Yokosuka, and a train ride to Toyko is about 45mins.

Climbing Mt.Fuji is out (although it's the perfect time of year) because it takes a whole day and I'm just not that interested.

So other than sushi, karaoke, and bukake, what else is there to do within an hour of Tokyo?

Drift? :dunno:

Thats fucking awesome man. I hope one day to make a trip to Japan. Why not spend some time going to the local shops and check out some true JDM miataer parts.

Buy a rice cooker.

I'm completely serious. The rice cookers we have here in the US just suck. They either burn the rice or they turn it into mush. A proper rice cooker holds the rice plus a tiny bit of water in a small aluminum pan. This pan is placed into the rice cooker, which itself consists of a much larger stainless steel pot which is also filled with water. This isolates the rice from the heat source and bathes it in steam. Awesome rice every time.

I've looked everywhere, and I've never found one like this at a shop in the states.

Sam -

You're telling us you are on the only US Navy vessel in which no one has ever been to port in Japan?

Find a Chief and get the ground truth...

- L

( I know what I'd do, however you've already 86'ed one of my two primary objectives. )

To be honest, I'm a little scared of the Chiefs in my division... I'm planning on staying very far away from whatever they're involved in... something about a karoake choking incident.

I'm sure I'll find plenty of "things" to do... but wondering if there's any enthusiast stuff y'all know about.

This might not be your style, but there has to be some amazing car museums there.

Maybe visit some of the track(s) that are close to Tokyo?

Rent a car you can't drive in the states (Skyline)?

Chris

Go to a Super Autobacs store and a Yellow Hat store and you will be in auto enthusiast heaven. A taxi driver should be able to help you find them. Bring money or plastic and get the large parts shipped back home if necessary. Japanese speed shops... oh, yeah!

And talk to some local car enthusiasts (local American or Japanese) and find out where the nighttime car hangouts are. They'll tell you.

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Yellow Hat:(translated)Google Translate

Yellow Hat sales flyer:Y-style performance

midnight touge like initial d

The only car museum that I am aware of is the Nagoya Toyota Car Museum. I got lots of picture from there, but its quite a bit of ways out from Tokyo.

Sam you wouldn't happen to be on the Eisenhower would you? If so, I'll be on board for a tiger cruise in 2 weeks, I'll buy you a beer for the clutch how-to thread. Well, for that and for Defending Freedom, of course.

be careful around all them there Chinamen.

careful if your in a not crowded area and you see a guy put 2 fingers to his chest (kinda like the peace sign) it means he owes you 2 bombs.....and you might get jumped....not common but has happened before.

I've been planning a trip to japan for a long time...i should start saving money to go eventually lol

I did a lot of walking around Tokyo just looking, which was really cool if you've never been there. Hit the clubs at night, which was awesome. I was only there for a few days and spent a lot of it on base because I was a broke Airman. You will see a lot of nice imports you don't see here.

Ike huh? I though their Airwing wasn't going anywhere for a year or so... well, if you mention to any of the Hawkeye Pilots or NFO's in VAW-125 that you know FREAKSHOW, it'll be a good time.

It has been 10+ years since I have stepped foot on CVN69

The best food that you can possibly find is the little yakatori stand that is half a block to the left of blue street with the base at your back. Near the TGI Fridays.

you could try hitting kamakura for a day if you want to go sight seeing. i believe the train ride is about 250 yen. Nothing really car related there, but the great Buddha and the gold Buddha are there along with dozens of other temples, gardens, neat shops, and a beach. PS... not supposed to camp on the beach, but it can be done if you set up your tent after dark.

As for car related stuff, i think that you will need to go to Yokohama or Tokyo, i was not able to find much in Yokosuka.

To get shit faced on the cheep, go to the chu-hi stand that is a block off of the Haunch in Yokosuka. it doesn't have the annoying club or karaoke scene, and the drinks are a bit deceiving. They sneak up on you like the floor sneaks up to your face. and take a lesson from me, don't climb Fuji the morning after visiting the chu-hi stand...bad idea.

Good luck, have fun, and the lifeguards are easy on base. I know because i was one of them.

I was at Atsugi for a few months. I agree with the SuperAutobacs store. It's cool just to visit these huge tuner stores and there is one not too far from Atsugi (maybe 12 miles from Yokosuka). Other than that and some small independent tuner shops (which can be very hard to find if you don't know some locals to give you directions) there isn't much car stuff easy to find on such a short trip. I went to Tokyo for a car show that was cool, but you would have to get lucky with the date you are there. I also got to go up into the mountains and see some real drifting, but again that requires knowing a local who is into the scene to take you there. Luckily one of the Japanese engineers I worked with was into cars and we got chatting about his FD. He invited me to check out the drifting (he was surprised I knew what it was). I thought he meant legit, track stuff, but when he wanted to pick me up at 11pm Sat night to go see it, I figured differently. Crazy stuff. I do miss Japan sometimes! Nicest people on the planet.
In fact, I just passed on a 3 year rotational assignment (civilian) to go back, but we may do it in a few years once we are done having kids.

Gonna have to agree with Clay. Been here 4 years and a decent tuner shop is hard to find. You can try goo parts if you can figure out the language, and the same can be said about yahoo auctions. Most of the parts shops I've been in look like a pep boys without the parts counter. Try the Toyota museum, and go to Tsukiji early in the morning for the fish market, and try some sushi there. Ginza is a good walk, but put the wallet away. There are other things to do there, but it depends on what you like.

i can't wait till i eventually go. I'd love to go for like 2weeks