Heading to Tokyo

[Haigh]

I can't add much to the above posts.I shot a lot of digital in Tokyo and made a little iPhoto book with them and I was very pleased with the quality. I shot film as well but have not done the required scanning yet.

Kyoto is very beautiful with many wonderful Zen gardens and is worth aa trip for a week or so in itself.

Enjoy Tokyo: it is where I am most at home as a photographer.

 

[flip]

I like that 'take advantage of jetlag' comment. Sooooo true. Especially now, and particularly in Kyoto. If you start early, you can get in some Kyoto sites before they start to close-up around 4-6 (barring light-ups), and you can avoid the heat to some extent. FWIW/ I think the rainy season officially started with the clouds that rolled-in today. Expect 2/3 rain (for me that translates to an occasional Lawson bag over my Domke Doraemon bag. 😛)

 

[dufffader]

flip, what domke doraemon bag? that, I'd like to see!!!

 

[flip]

flip, what domke doraemon bag? that, I'd like to see!!!

heheh. I don't mean to tease. It's just a plain beige Chinese clone, but I fit so much stuff in it for all occasions that more than one GF has commented that it was my "Doraemon's sack." Let's see, today I have....
tea, naturally,
keitai charger
mp3 player
pen fv
vcii meter
hand towel
mints
batteries
and it's only 1/4 full. ;-) I often also carry:
tripod
extra lenses / bodies
shirt
bento
teaching materials
book
and if the situation requires, several diminutive helpers to do my bidding.😀

 

[morgan]

Sounds like a pretty amazing bag flip!!!

I hadn't really thought about the rainy season/bag issue. Ugh, another thing to consider. How long does the rainy season last in tokyo?

 

[flip]

It'll go for the next month. When the wind kicks up you know it's going to rain. But you can get $1 umbrellas anywhere. I'm less concerned about rain getting to my gear quickly than about waiting for a bag to dry in 90% humidity.

 

[morgan]

Jeez. I wonder if I can buy clothes made of sponges! Being from philadelphia I'm somewhat used to high humidity in the summer (not that I like it). I hope it's not awful though. Maybe we'll get lucky and it will be best first week of august ever! 🙂

 

[steamer]

Sometimes you just have to bear the unbearable, I'd be willing to bet you a diet happoshu, that it will be at least very hot, and though the rainy season is supposed to be over in July it will probably be raining too. If you are not too much over US "m" size you can buy some "dry" t-shirts at Uniqlo. They are relatively comfortable and very cheap. You'll probably want to carry some sort of small towel with some character mascot printed on it to wipe the sweat off yourself from time to time.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Here's the stats for August 2008 in Tokyo (link). Over 30C pretty much every day!

14 years here and I still don't have a clue how they figure that the rainy season has started or ended. It seems to rain just as much before and after, so I can never tell the difference...

 

[K14]

An earlier post mentioned that ATM's was in short supply. My last trip to Kobe Okayama area I was able to use my American debt card at the post office cash machine to get Yen. Post offices are everywhere.

Cheers!

Gary

 

[flip]

By the way, I'm not trying to be doom n' gloom about the climate. You'll be fine. i just recommend planning ahead. If it helps, the best way to beat the heat is to drink lots of fluids and keep your vitamin B up (eat eel).

I want in on the rainy-season bet. It's starting late and slow this year. Still, coastal areas like Kamakura, Yokohama, and Kobe should be comfortable a lot of the time.

 

[historicist]

Kyoto is a bit far from Tokyo to go for just one day, I'd stay overnight at least. btw, it's very hot and humid here (I'm in Kyoto) at least for someone who's more used to the damp of the UK, but not unbearable.

 

[Haigh]

The LX3 is a fine p&s and I used it a lot in Tokyo. I also used a D8o for a bit of reach with its longer lenses. I walked a lot with either or both cameras.

Have a great time. As one aquaintance said when we told him we'd been in Tokyo:"Tokyo rocks." It sure does.

 

[maddoc]

I would recommend to buy some silica-gel and a large zip-lock bag (e.g. at Yodobashi Camera) to dry your equipment over-night. 90% humidity + high temperatures are ideal growth conditions for fungus and mold. Also avoid any leather bags, half cases etc. around this season.

 

[jonmanjiro]

coastal areas like Kamakura, Yokohama, and Kobe should be comfortable a lot of the time.

Depends on your definition of comfortable 🙄

Kamakura is probably marginally cooler than Yokohama. But Yokohama is a concrete jungle just like Tokyo. Best bet to escape the heat is head inland toward the mountains. Okutama is always a nice getaway.

 

[maddoc]

Depends on your definition of comfortable 🙄

Kamakura is probably marginally cooler than Yokohama. But Yokohama is a concrete jungle just like Tokyo. Best bet to escape the heat is head inland toward the mountains. Okutama is always a nice getaway.

Jon, come over to Sapporo next month. Hokkaido has much better climate in summer, max temperatures of 30 degrees, not humid and the Odori Beer festival will start !! 😀

 

[jonmanjiro]

Jon, come over to Sapporo next month. Hokkaido has much better climate in summer, max temperatures of 30 degrees, not humid and the Odori Beer festival will start !! 😀

Hehe, sounds like a plan Gabor. If I had my way I would move to Sapporo permanently! We even have an office there.

 

[maddoc]

Hehe, sounds like a plan Gabor. If I had my way I would move to Sapporo permanently! We even have an office there.

Jon, didn't your boss suggest a business trip to Sapporo this summer ? 😎😀😉

 

[urban_alchemist]

Advice? Eat. Eat. Eat. Then eat some more.

There is nowhere in the world with food as consistently awe-inspiring as Japan. Just one of its many many attractions. God i love it (three months till I'm back!)

 

[jonmanjiro]

Jon, didn't your boss suggest a business trip to Sapporo this summer ? 😎😀😉

Ya know, I think he did 😉

I think he also mentioned something about taking two or three weeks off in August to escape to the southern hemisphere, Sydney in particular 😀