Fancy A Pint - Tokyo

And yes dylannn yakitori is certainly something to fall back on, as is onigiri. We do have a lot of experience navigating so we will be vigilant, it just helps to make sure the restaurants clearly understand the challenge and stakes. Yuzu however is definitely not a safe option... the exception of limes and lemons is sort of miraculous, but we're definitely not aware of any others as most are a serious danger. Trial and error is not an option!

In Tokyo from the 3rd to the 8th, then Osaka, then Okinawa, very excited!

How annoyed are ppl in Japan by the torrent of tourists coming in?

after forty years into economic stagnation, rising cost of living, wages flat,
the weak yen making it impossible to travel out of japan
the weak yen bringing in tourism that still has not peaked (rather than the orderly, civilized chinese and koreans, who simply go to ginza / asakusa or other places equipped somewhat for tourism, noticeable now are the european, americans, australians diverted from bali or thailand, flipflops and khaki shorts, dragging suitcases and toting rucksacks, who show up in search of authentic experiences, which revolve around convenience stores [this can mean bawling come ons to passing women while drinking outside the family mart, stumping the indonesians that work the local lawson with slow, broken english or attempts at japanese, or preferably, i suppose, taking photographs of egg sandwiches)
are demeaning but not enough to push anyone over the edge (maybe in kyoto). why would they let uguisudani be taken over by tourists to the extent that delivery health girls and creeps are outnumbered by holidaymakers? i would gladly take another global pandemic.

<3

I am very paranoid over commiting faux pas but then I watch/read Japanese complaints about tourists and it's obvious asshole stuff like "they cut in line" which makes me think/hope I'll be ok

When I was 20 my mate and I had gutter burgers one night and immediately felt the scornful eyes of a whole nation. But besides that we kept things pretty normal and civilised and never felt any ill-will. Rather it was insane politeness wherever we went. Same goes for my trip last year.

dylannn as an Aus tourist from 10-15 years ago I am kinda dreading the shift in vibe when I go back to Osaka next month. Is it awful?

Maybe we could cobble together a minifap while DRF is in town....

the vibes in general have never been worse but the tourism part has to be put in context. these reports are regular now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm3OX_QuPTs, focusing on foreigners drinking on the street, for example. this highlights a more concrete violation of social order, one like harassing geisha or unsafe traffic behavior in front of sightseeing spots that might actually break a law or taking photographs of daycare children, which articulates a general crankiness and sense of being put upon by mass tourism, a sense that like many other things taking place in the country mass tourism is another shortsighted scheme run for the benefit of people that don't need more benefits, a sense that japanese people are getting a raw deal (the tourism stories are accompanied by others about how the japanese now drag bags of rice with them to hawaii since the yen makes everything too expensive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZhcPDROLmc). what i mean is that nobody actually cares about foreigners street drinking (it is a great tradition here, after all) but it's something people can use to safely vent their frustration with the current social and political system, i might say, speaking in a grand way.

but we avoid here certain economic problems caused by tourism in european centers. the infrastructure to handle it is being developed. most visitors are sweet and curious people that are paranoid about transgressing at least basic rules of conduct. it's nice to see local businesses that struggled through the pandemic getting a boost. it's nice that my friends visit tokyo. a more varied sort of drinker outside of convenience stores is generally a good thing.

That's interesting for sure. I had heard Japan briefly overtook Bali as the number one holiday destination from Australia but I had assumed it was ski-heads going to Hokkaido and central Kyushu. I went to Tokyo and Aniai (Akita-ken) briefly in Feb-Mar last year and rarely saw any tourists that I can remember. Kyoto back in 2017 was overrun, I saw fusillades of cameras surrounding every maiko who stepped out the door, and visiting Kinkaku-ji was literally a single file procession with busloads of Chinese tourists.
Around Osaka I think we will be heading for walks in the mountains where possible - I know it's going to be brutal weather but my partner loves the great outdoors. She's also a major enthusiast for the food there so we will see how those balance out! I'm just there for culture and the lived experience, I could care less about getting hammered outside a konbini.

Maybe we could cobble together a minifap while DRF is in town....

Would love this! I'll also be in Osaka from the 8th to the 13th if anyone's around.

dyl, my recent visit to Honolulu was shockingly absent of the omnipresent throngs of J-tourists, it was really surreal... RIP JPY*

*from someone who spent the bulk of my time in JP when the USD was ~80-82 JPY, perhaps that harshness made that experience far more authentic L(笑)L

I think there was a conversation on another JP thread that remote suburbs (not quite inaka, deepish yet with deece rail access) are likely my bag from here on out... unless I can get approved for Conrad or equivalent which might happen if the yen keeps tanking.

(happy GW lol)

Cool!
Anyone up for a Tokyofap can shoot me a line via ilxmail or at tokyo✧✧✧.✧.mif✧✧✧@antic✧✧✧.n✧✧ and we'll set something up...

(that's a burner address, but it'll work for making contact...)

I was in Tokyo over the weekend and yes immigration was crazy full, the fun intensified by contradictory signs as to wether to use the paper form or the new QR code system, and yes all the usual places are busy but you don’t have to step very far outside of them to get away from the hordes. I was staying in Yotsuya and there were only a few other obvious tourists.

The westerners at Japan craft sake week in Roppongi Hills seemed mostly to be expats with maybe a few who got curious about the techno and stumbled after buying a gucci handbag or whatever.

Went to a festival at a sake brewery in Higashimurayama and I was the only western face. Had a blast chatting and drinking with the other drunkards. Headline band was the 切腹ピズトルズ, I’d never heard of them and I’d never seen a mosh pit in a brewery or anyone stage dive with a drum but apparently they are a thing and turn up at punk festivals in the US a bit.

Basically I think a lot of spaces remain intimidating or unknown to tourists, a few will actively shut people out but many will choose not to serve that market. Case I point is my favourite izakaya in Kagurazaka, not off the tourist trail at all but if you get past the obscure sign, odd genkan and sliding door arrangement you’ll find a very welcoming counter seat and a baffling smudgy menu on a whiteboard. Order some pickles, sashimi and a sake, ask what’s good today and you’re away. I had sea squirt at the weekend, which had texture and tasted of soy sauce, mirin and ginger and not of whatever unseasoned sea squirt tastes like.

Sounds like a fun weekend!
Kagurazaka is so chill... did you go to the centipede temple?

I think it's up to you whether you do the qr code or the paper, you just stand in different lines depending.

Ilxmsiled you slowsquatch