mattlucas 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 I finally recieved my placement. Takayama will be my home for the next year starting in August. From what I read on this site however the local hills are rather tiny. I guess I will have to go a bit further to get to the good ones. From my lonely planet guide the place looks to have lots of culture. Link to post Share on other sites
Will Lee 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Oh boy you'll really feel like you're in J-Land! Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Author Share Posted June 7, 2003 I did some quick research and found that Takayama is called Little Kyoto. Sounds like fun. Can't wait. What about ski hills though. Is Nagano far Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 its not that far from nagano, but the opposite side of the range to the ski areas, so its not that convenient. your best bet for a day out will probably be the takasu slopes, which arent too far away... there are a few hills near takayama, but they are all pretty lame. its a really nice area. Link to post Share on other sites
ug 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Nice area, Nagano not convenient but you can still get there of course. Takasu the place for you, Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Ive been tring to find maps but cant. You are an hour away from Takasu maybe less. You can scoot over to Hakusan, plenty of small size area ski resorts maybe good snow though. Hakusan is a very popular climbing/ hiking spot in Japan the moutain is about 2900 meters. You can take the tunnel from Takayama to Nagano. The road can be hairy in storms. about 3 to 4 hours to Hakuba by car, toll fees are not too high I think. Takayama wont have to many gaijin so start studing. http://www.jnto.go.jp/mapindex/E/Gifu.html Link to post Share on other sites
DumbStick 13 Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 Great place to be! Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 8, 2003 Author Share Posted June 8, 2003 Thanks for the maps Fattwins. I have also been looking for maps and am unable to find any good ones. Do you know the elevation of Takayama. The idea of hiking sounds good as well and I will love getting up high to get exercise and increase my lungs Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 I found maps for you! http://www.hida.jp/e-kankou/e-kan-m.htm http://www.book-a-hotel-in-japan.com/en/city_maps/hotels/alps-takayama/city.html Takayama looks very interesting place. I think you are lucky that you can enjoy real Japanese life and culture. I have never been to that area it's just because not easy access from Tokyo. I'd love to live there, too. You are lucky! Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 8, 2003 Author Share Posted June 8, 2003 That second map is a really good one. Thanks slow. Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 8, 2003 Share Posted June 8, 2003 If you like nature your in a great spot. Hakusan is a very good hikers mountain, its a good day up and down if your fit. I find that its a longer hike than fuji. You can hikearound the mountain for a few days. plenty of camping and trekking spots. Takasu bottom right corner of the good map is about an hour away. Not a bad little spot, I ski there a lot. Not as big as Hakuba but the scence is going off. Hakusan alos has some ski areas Time to search them out. Takasu has great BC but its not that long 300 to 700 vertical feet with some areas longer if your willing to hike out. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Author Share Posted June 9, 2003 There are lots of ski hills around Takasu and looking at there maps they don't look all that bad. How long would it take by train/bus to get there. For the mountains arounf I can't wait to get to the top of all those big mountains. I will hopefully climb them all but I imagine they are very busy. There is so much to ask but I will be there soon so I will just wait and figure it out myself Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Get your international license. Its good for your first year in Japan. Then buy a used car. trust me where you live youll need it. There are not a lot of trains up there. Major Roads signs 99% of the times have english. You can buy an English map book too. Used cars are cheap. The best resort In Takasu is Takasu snow park. Ill stress again how much you need that license. Bring your BC gear and we will tour around Takasu next winter. Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Quote: Originally posted by Fattwins: Get your international license. Its good for your first year in Japan. better search out the drivers licence thread before taking that advice.. may not be all its cracked up to be Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 That thread said good from the date your passport is stamped for one year. http://www.jp.from-hanna.com/daily/driving/5.html There is the info again. Link to post Share on other sites
mikazooki 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 i should have known better than to doubt u fattwins (i only encountered the dramas on the acquistion of licence thread). i also was unaware of the 3 months biz... which means i was driving legally all winter. but not anymore Link to post Share on other sites
zwelgen 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 Hey ILTS, youre going to a great place. It has a great festival 2x a year and the streets are crowded with people. I went once and the dude from Lonely Planet (?) was filming some stuff. Its got lots of little canals and traditional style buildings and shops. It is just really really pretty. I drove the road over from Matsumoto in Nagano that went via Kamikochi and it is a bit hairy, and winter might be a bit freaky if you werent used to winter driving. One of the tunnels had an intersection in the middle of it! Will be good for hiking and not too bad to get anywhere. But seriously listen to fatty and get your licence if you dont have it already because in rural Japan car=freedom=good quality of life Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 The JET folks that talk to you really go out of their way to try and scare everyone out of getting a car at the tokyo confrence (from what I hear) I think its more cos they dont want you to have a car than concern for your finances. you will have to pay a few things though but once you add it to the low car price its not too bad. 80,000 for the "optional" insurance if your a young male is one of the biggies. Also a years worth of motoring will prob cost you a 40,000 tax if you get a regular sized car. If your only here for a year that and car buying money is all you pay (if you get a car with a shaken (warrant of fitiness)) Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Author Share Posted June 9, 2003 Is it Ian that you saw in Takayama. The British Bloke from Lonely Plantet. That guy is so funny. I wonder how he stumbled onto a job like that. To get paid to trvel all over the world. Getting a car sounds like the best thing to do. Kind of confusing but I am sure I can figure it out. I am going to get my international drivers license however. Thanks for all the info everybody Link to post Share on other sites
zwelgen 0 Posted June 9, 2003 Share Posted June 9, 2003 It was that dude with the thick brittish accent - it was the accent that sparked the connection in my mind, but I guess the cameras etc helped . Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 You do have to pay a couple of things. every 2 years for most used cars you have to get the car checked out. Half the time you get an oil change, brake fluid and rad fluid. This costs around 70000 to 100000 yen. insurance will run you same as back home. gas tax about 5oooo on a white plate car. yellow plate car is much cheaper. I drive a jimmy (its like a small sidekick) and we pay i think 70% less. Some people use the cars as a mini hotel. most types of cars seats can fold down like beds to sleep on. Link to post Share on other sites
sunrise 0 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 I spent a night in Takayama some years ago in late autumn, what I remember of it is lovely. Yes, Zwells, those canals too.... Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted June 10, 2003 Author Share Posted June 10, 2003 So if I understand this process. Buying the cars are cheap. You then have to pay to make it road worthy and then pay again to insure it. Sounds good if that is the process exceptof course for the huge language barrier What is the difference of white and yellow plates Link to post Share on other sites
Fattwins 0 Posted June 10, 2003 Share Posted June 10, 2003 IL2S If the car has monthes or years left on its shaken, (safty check) you dont have to do it. It lasts 4 years on a new car and 2 on a used car. Figure that into the cost of buying a car. You will meet people pretty fast and they will be helpful dont worry about that. Link to post Share on other sites
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