Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with kyoto

Big inn Japan (well, not so big, actually)

Bixby23 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:58:56 -0800

Help my friend name his inn in Kyoto Good friend (Japanese, Kyoto native) is quitting a nowhere sales manager job at Bandai and moving back to Kyoto to open a small inn, mainly because he and his wife love meeting new people. He is refurbishing a very old structure, and the crew working on it is applying traditional Japanese construction techniques (they're even using as many of the original structure's beams as remain serviceable). The end product, except for updated essentials like higher doorways/ceilings, modern facilities, WiFi, etc., will have much of the "authentic Japan" feel that people often want out of their Kyoto experience.

He's open to welcoming all sorts of patrons, but is most eager to attract backpackers (both Japanese and foreigners) in their 20s-30s who enjoy meeting other travelers, share an interest in all things Kyoto, and have a a reasonably flexible itinerary. Where he's struggling, is in coming up with an English name that captures the atmosphere and attracts/could be easily googled by the foreigner subset of his target clientele. The options he came up with on his own are:

- Kyoto Guesthouse Nishi-no-Kyo
- Kyoto Hostel Nishi-no-Kyo

Nishi-no-Kyo is the region (more between Kyoto and Nara than Kyoto, proper). My concerns about his choices are that "guesthouse," although not unheard of in Japan, might only help with attracting German guests, while "hostel" seems to be shooting for a younger age group than he really wants. At the same time, many foreigners may not be familiar with "ryokan," and "inn" seems a bit bland/nondescript. I appreciate that my perspective may be very much tied to my American roots, so if the above options seem reasonable to you as a speaker of a language/dialect other than American English, I'd like to know, but I'd also like alternative suggestions. Feel free to get wild & crazy, but I'm especially interested in alternatives for that middle word.

I don't want to fall afoul of the MeFi self-promotion guidelines, so I would also welcome responses to the throwaway e-mail address: kyotoinn@yahoo.co.jp.

Where to buy unlined linen or other lightweight jacket online?

planetkyoto — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:53:25 -0800

Where can I buy an unlined or lightweight men's linen jacket or similar like this for very hot, humid Kyoto summer? Must be worn with white dress shirt, tie and black pants. Degree of difficulty: 46L/XL and shipping to Japan. It only has to be worn twice a week, only until I get into the building, then I can take it off. I've been wearing three light-colored sportcoats, but they are 48L and I'm tired of looking baggy, and I'm already too big for Japan without extra fabric snapping in the breeze.

I would get two of those GAP ones at that crazy price and dye one dark if they shipped to Japan, or if our GAP carried them. I don't know where to look on ebay/Amazon, everything looks fishy. Could I just wear a breezy linen vest over my white shirt? That would seem dressy enough to me, but where would I get it? Something else? Budget is up to USD$150 or 200.

Pants are always black, shirt is always white, usually red tie. Is normal linen beige color OK or do I need a dark jacket/vest? Talk down to me, because I'm fashion sense-impaired.

Help me Hivemind: spending money and eating veggie in Japan.

Kirn — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:55:40 -0800

How much spending money do I need for 10 days in Japan? And: help me eat vegetarian while I'm there. I'll be visiting Japan for 10 days from the 8th of June. That's 3 days in Tokyo, 4 days in Kyoto (with a day trip to Nara and possibly another one to Osaka, and a few hours spent in Nagoya), 2 days in Hiroshima (with a day trip to Miyajima island) and finally 1 day in Narita.

I'm trying to get an idea of how much spending money I should take. Flights, hotels and JR pass are all booked already, but I'll pay to get around Tokyo for the first 3 days (subway or trains) and from Narita Airport->Tokyo, as the JR pass is only for the last 7 days. I won't be looking to eat anywhere that expensive, though doing so by accident is quite possible. I'll be looking to take some souvenirs home, but I'm not after anything specific (and unlikely to go for expensive electronics etc.) and travelling carry-on only so space is limited. I'm travelling with friends so we'll probably want to go out drinking some nights, but not clubbing. No specific tourist destinations in mind but we'll be going to see temples, maybe a couple of museums etc.

So: how much spending money should I take?

And... I'd like to make an appeal for advice on eating vegetarian in Japan. I get that this will be difficult and that there's fish stock/flakes in everything - I'm ok with the fish stock/flakes but would like to avoid meat/fish flesh/seafood.

So my second question is: are there any common vegetarian dishes (with or without fish flakes but ideally without) that I can look for in restaurants? Something I can learn the name of and be sure (or at least relatively sure) that I'm getting something flesh-free? (What about convenience stores etc.?)

And finally: if I learn phrases for 'do you have anything without meat, fish or seafood?' and 'can you make it without meat/fish/seafood?', what kind of response am I likely to get in typical eateries? Refusal/bewilderment/misunderstanding/annoyance? (I won't be able to carry on a conversation as I only know a few basic words and phrases, though I will occasionally be accompanied by a fluent Japanese speaker.)

Thanks very much in advance everyone, and sorry for the many sprawling questions - I'm trying to get the most out of my weekly questions before I go! For what it's worth, I'm a 24-year old male from the UK, travelling with 2-3 guys and 1 girl of similar ages.

Place to stay in Kyoto and must see sights?

mhaw — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:29:24 -0800

Planning a trip to Tokyo/Kyoto towards the end of May and I'm looking for suggestions for great places to stay for two nights in Kyoto (inexpensive to moderately priced) as well as don't miss sights/restaurants in Tokyo and Kyoto. We will be there for about two weeks.

20 Half-day Outings in Kansai

any portmanteau in a storm — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:32:17 -0800

Taught English in Japan (Kyoto) for 2 years. I haven't been back for a while. Family wedding in Osaka. Will be there all May. What did I miss the first time around? When I used to live in Kyoto I was pretty touristy, but there's still tons of stuff I didn't get around to seeing/doing, or even know about at all. Here is some info that might help you help me:

This trip will be me and my wife. My Japanese is passable. She is Japanese, so we can assume hers is perfect. We can also assume that she has her own ideas of what we'll be using our free time for, I'm hoping to use your suggestions to stimulate discussion so that we can both do what we want on this trip.

If I assume that almost every evening and weekend will be spent with friends and family then that still leaves around 20 weekdays. Some of that will be spent shopping, but there is still a lot of time to do the things I missed or put off when I lived there.

We will be staying at her parents' place in Osaka (Hirakata). We'll have access to a car, but will be taking public transit to most places. So we're talking about things in Kansai.

I like temples and shrines a lot. I've been to many of them, but that still leaves a couple thousand I haven't been to.

Hiking/long walks are good. If they can be combined with something else (temple, onsen, special restaurant) even better. Ditto for nice train rides.

When we travel to other countries we always make the time for museums and art galleries but have never done that in Japan. What are we missing?

Can I see any superflat art (either by Murakami or someone else)?

We plan on eating out a lot. Help me find an amazing oyakodon (or other dish) to make me temporarily waive my no-meat policy.

What cool new buildings/malls/complexes have come up in the last 3 years?

I was fairly Kyoto-centric when I lived there, so if it is outside Kyoto there is a better chance that I haven't been there.

I have a pretty good idea of some things I want to do but that's part of the problem. I need YOUR ideas so that I can say "wow, I never even thought of that, what a great idea". Or I might not. We'll never know until we try.

Kyoto trip with the fam

nintendo — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 08:58:02 -0800

Family comming to visit me in Japan. I live in Yokohama, would like to spend one or two days in Tokyo, and 5-7 days in Kyoto. I've only been down there briefly for buisness and have no contacts and no solid idea where to stay and what to see. Check to see I realize there is so much already out there, but I would love some personal stories of favorite locations visited and places stayed. Money is an issue and we have no problem with backbackers lodgings, Onsens are a plus, are the available down there?? Ok, Domo.

I don't wanna sleep under the sakura!

teststrip — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:17:54 -0800

I was off to Kyoto by myself to see the cherry blossoms, till a friend decided to come too. Now I've cancelled my single room accommodation and because of the mere weeks to go, we can't get a booking... I need help - google fails me! So..... a) is there anywhere else in Japan that would be good for a 2-3 day visit at that time of year (the first week of April) where we'd be able to find somewhere to stay. We've got railpasses. The rest of the time we will be in Tokyo... but we'd love to get out of the city and see some traditional beauty that Kyoto would offer.

or b) Do you know some magical way we could find a twin room to stay in Kyoto without paying 700 pounds a night?

Dōmo arigatō!

Comb buying in Kyoto & Tokyo

jadepearl — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:12:39 -0800

Tokyo or Kyoto shopping filter: On a mission for boxwood combs. Do people have any suggestions on where to purchase traditional, handmade combs in Kyoto or Tokyo? I have some names and addresses however, the information maybe way dated. Here is what I have:

Kyoto --
Jusan-Ya combs
Otabi-cho, Shin-kyogoku higashi-iru, Shijo-dori, Shimogyu-ku

Nijusanya is at 85 Shin-cho, Shijo Kawaramachi Higashi-iru, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto (telephone 221-2371). It is open 10 A.M. to 8:30 P.M. and closed the third Wednesday of each month.

Tokyo --
Jusan-ya
2-12-21 Ueno, Tokyo, Japan - - Taito-ku
Phone: 03-3831-3238

Yonoya
1-37-10 Asakusa
Taito-ku, On Demboin Dori (also spelled Dempoin Dori), just off Nakamise Dori

It is important to me that the combs be not mass manufactured but made by hand with the care that Japanese artisan families are capable and famed for.

Also, does anyone know what the "eeek" or "eewww" factor is if I sent a sample of my hair along to help in comb selection? A friend is kind enough on taking this mission on while in the area.

Any information or suggestions welcome EXCEPT why not order the stuff online....errrr...besides not being sure of the quality, many of the websites seem to be stealing both images and text from other sites which does not engender a great deal of confidence.

Miko Seeks Miko-Wear

Miko — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:53:05 -0800

Can you tell me which Shinto shrine in Kyoto attires the miko in these white coats with cranes printed on them? Here's another image, and another. It's possible they're not all from the same shrine. I'm interested only in the crane images, though.

Bonus points if you can find me a closer-up image of the crane, or a place to purchase the fabric.

This is one of those AskMe longshots, but I believe in the power.

Can't see the forest for the carbon absorption rates

andifsohow — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 18:49:12 -0800

I'm trying to figure out carbon absorption rates by trees. So far the best source I have is an eBay ad. I understand that this all depends on what kind of tree and any number of factors. But I haven't even been able to get very good numbers on how many trees it takes to offset 1 ton of CO2 or, conversely, how much CO2 100 trees would offset. This eBay ad suggests that three trees can offset 1 ton over the next ten years. How do I find better data than that? It's for a research project on the development of sustainable timber farms.

Gonna get my Gion on...

lovejones — Wed, 17 May 2006 11:24:28 -0800

Accomodations in Kyoto for Gion Matsuri? Will be travelling in Japan for three weeks this summer (late June to mid July) and the "last hurrah" of the trip will be in Kyoto for the Gion Matsuri festival. My question is, basically, is it too late to find anything reasonable in Kyoto at this time? (Planning three weeks in Japan is overwhelming) Any recommendations for lodging in Kyoto (for a young couple)? If Kyoto is booked up, where are other places convenient to the city to find someplace to stay for the last few days of the festival? Thanks in advance...

Short family stay in Kansai area

Dag Maggot — Tue, 13 Sep 2005 04:30:59 -0800

We'll be in the Kansai area of Japan for about a week. Any suggestions for a cheap, fun guest house for a family of four in the Kyoto or Nara area?

Two (kind of related) economics questions

OmieWise — Tue, 07 Jun 2005 15:33:22 -0800

EconomicsFilter: When someone claims that it's too expensive (i.e. would damage the economy) to upgrade an industry to a more environmentally clean process, I have always assumed this was a specious claim since the costs spent on one side would be added to the economy by the environmental company. Am I missing something? Is there a real loss here for the economy in general that I am not seeing? Related (maybe): Why did we used to build nice public works (even outside of the WPA), but now we get ugly concrete and rebar piles of functionality? Was it labor costs? Material costs? How does inflation work such that it would (presumably) cost far more to build a public building out of real stone now?
[OK, these are totally separate questions (and they may both be badly phrased, but they are related by virtue of being economics questions.]

Electrical Compatibility in Kyoto

atom128 — Sun, 12 Dec 2004 21:38:13 -0800

I'm going to Japan in a few weeks and I'm wondering about the differences in electrical outlets and how my laptop (powerbook g4) will be able to handle it, and if there is a special kind of adapter I need because it's a computer. All the power adaptor kits i've found thus far have been for hairdryers and what not. Anyone know?

And while I'm at it, anyone know anything good to do in Kyoto, especially for New Years? heh.

What temples should I visit in Kyoto, Japan?

Dantien — Fri, 03 Sep 2004 21:42:25 -0800

My wife and I are heading back to Japan for a few weeks this October. I lived for many years in Japan, but have not been to Kyoto. We are planning only a day and a half there, so I was wondering which temples/castles are on your "Do Not Miss Under Any Circumstances" List (I'm guessing Ryoanji, Kinkakuji, and Kiyomizudera for starters)? Any advice? Im planning a full day and need to make sure I make this worthwhile.

Japan

Asparagirl — Fri, 16 Jul 2004 16:22:23 -0800

Going to Japan with husband for a week in October. Don't speak Japanese, never been to Asia before, need ideas for itinerary. Help us avoid getting Lost in Translation? [more inside] We're planning on staying in Tokyo for a few days, but want to stay overnight in at least one or two other cities. I was thinking of Kyoto, but then heard that it's kind of industrialized and not as pretty and old-fashioned as some of the smaller cities. And I do want to soak in Japanese culture and art, or at least as much as my small gaijin mind can absorb. So far, the only things on our "must" list are buying a kimono (for me) and traveling on the bullet train (for the hubby). Oh, and visiting any particularly great gardens, since I love plants and gardening. (No cherry blossoms, though, since it will be fall.) I've bought some books on Japan to help prepare and we'll be working out some of our arrangements via a travel agent, but we'd love some first-hand reports and ideas. And hotel and restaurant suggestions for Tokyo. Thanks!