Mantas 3 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 This is our first trip to Honshu and we have about 14 hours to get from Hakuba to Narita. That means we have about 6-8 hours to kill. Where would be the best place? I have wifey in tow so shopping would be manditory We don't much like the sound of concrete Tokyo , plus I've seen a bit of it already. Temples, gardens, anything with a bit of culture attached would be cool. Any suggestions?? Link to post Share on other sites
snowkansen 0 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Nagano is a pretty cool place to look around. Im sure there are plenty of things you could do for 6-8 hours in Japan. Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 From Hakuba station, catch the train to Matsumoto. Besides doing some shopping there, you can check out the Matsumoto Castle. That's really worth seeing. When you're finished in Matsumoto, you can take the train to Shinjuku and get on the Narita express there for the airport. Link to post Share on other sites
XilR8 0 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Or do your shopping in Shinjuku, but follow the rest of Markie's plan... just a thought! Link to post Share on other sites
timcraig 0 Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I went to Matsumoto on the way up to Hakuba yesterday. It is a nice town and the castle is impressive Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 just looking around Shinjuku and eating and shopping there would take up all your time. Culture is a trip unto itself. Do it justice, save the culture for your next trip. Blow yourself out at Shinjuku. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 There's also a shrine at Narita-san at Narita. But you'd have to find somewhere to put your baggage, it's not right outside the airport. Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 The temple in Narita is actually worth a visit. Its the third biggest in Japan and has a really cool Japanese style park at the back of it with waterfall and little lake. Lots going on at the moment with the new years period really busy, (despite tourists making it an absolute pain in the ass to get around town for those of us who live here!!) If your other half really must do shopping there is a big mall just near by too. Link to post Share on other sites
Worm 0 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Of if you like electronics, check out Akihabara. 2 stops on the Yamanote train from Tokyo station. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 I would also highly recommend Matsumoto. Easy to get to and very interesting. You can go shopping anywhere. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 Cheers guys, I knew I would get the good oil here. The Narita Temples are impressive. My wife hasn't seen them yet. Would Matsumoto Castle be on par? I think I'll just tell Mrs Mantas that there is no good place to shop anywhere in Japan and take it from there. Link to post Share on other sites
klingon 10 Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I never knew about temples at Narita. Easy to get to from the airport? I usually have a few hours to spare when I go... Link to post Share on other sites
farquah 0 Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Really easy to get to. Its the actual Narita town stop (on either Keisei or JR which are a couple of hundred meters apart), just get off there and you can stroll down the main road. Its a really old kind of Japan feel and at he bottom is Shinshoji Temple. This year is its 1020 year anniversasry or something. There are actually "branches" of Narita San all over Japan, I was in Okinawa and I saw a sign with the ??? there too, also a big advert for one in Osaka`s Umeda station. Narita is actually a pretty nice old town, but most people only think if it in terms of the airport. Link to post Share on other sites
Karnidge 2 Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I'm either rushing to get to the airport, or rushing to get out of the airport! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Haha, yes me too. Unfortunately it is always a mad rush on the first shinkansen to get to the airport. Link to post Share on other sites
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