Two weeks in Japan

"Guus Veldhuis" wrote in message
...
be able to experiment with it before you leave. Take also an electric
converter with you ,because they use 110/120 volts and in that way you can
recharge your batteries.

Good advice, but just to clarify Japan does NOT use 110/120 VAC;
the Japanese line voltage standard is 100 VAC (which I believe is
unique, or nearly so), and another power oddity is that the country
is split between 50 Hz and 60 Hz sections. The northern/eastern portion
of the country (from a line just south of Yokohama) is 50 Hz, while the
southern/western (including Osaka and Kyoto) uses 60 Hz. Not
usually a problem for most chargers, etc., but some electrical
equipment (notably, simple electric clocks) will work properly in
one part but not the other.

Bob M.




You will have a smashing time because there are so
many contradictions and most people are very friendly and helpfull. I
stayed
3 weeks in the Kyoto area at a girlfriends house and I will go back end of
December. You can read my story about it in my weblog, starting around
first
of July. Good luck and tell me what work are you gonna do there and do
they
need a crazy Dutchman, because I want to start living there from may next
year in a little part of Osaka called Takatsuki. I had enough of Europe.

--
Bye Guus

Webpage http://guus.dse.nl/ Weblog http://zapguz.dse.nl/ Photosite
http://zapfoto.dse.nl/ E-mail
icq 15582630 msn as New and you can join too
http://www.blurryimage.com/user/zapguz
"abcd" schreef in bericht
m...
Thanks very much everyone for your answers.

I'm flying into Narita because that's what I was instructed to do.
Erroneously apparently... Anyway the flight is confirmed and payed for
by now so there's not much I can do. My working days in Kyoto will be
full-time, so I'll have no time for anything else. But I'll spend some
additional days there after the meetings.

I bought a couple of guidebooks in the meantime which, along with your
comments, should get me going. I've got just another issue, and it's a
recurrent one: I have to buy a digital camera... I searched the Web
and these NGs but I wasn't able to find any recent postings/articles
about the subject. My preference (after some research) lies with the
Nikon Coolpix 5200 or something similar. Does anyone have a clue as to
whether it's cheaper in Japan or in Europe? Of course also considering
warranty, assistance, etc.

Thanks very much again,
andy

"abcd" wrote in message
m...

I'm flying into Narita because that's what I was instructed to do.
Erroneously apparently... Anyway the flight is confirmed and payed for
by now so there's not much I can do.

It still might not be too late to change; you may wish to
check with whoever is arranging your travel. Especially
if you're starting your work in Kyoto immediately upon
arrival - I certainly wouldn't want to have to show up
to a meeting or whatever after just arriving in Narita and
THEN following that up with the train trip you'll need to
get to Kyoto. Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

I bought a couple of guidebooks in the meantime which, along with your
comments, should get me going. I've got just another issue, and it's a
recurrent one: I have to buy a digital camera... I searched the Web
and these NGs but I wasn't able to find any recent postings/articles
about the subject. My preference (after some research) lies with the
Nikon Coolpix 5200 or something similar. Does anyone have a clue as to
whether it's cheaper in Japan or in Europe? Of course also considering
warranty, assistance, etc.

Buy before you leave; it's very unlikely that it will be
less expensive in Japan, and this way you'll have a chance
to familiarize yourself with the camera before you leave.
Besides, all documentation, etc., that comes with the camera
in Japan may be in Japanese only.

Bob M.

"abcd" wrote in message
m...

I'm flying into Narita because that's what I was instructed to do.
Erroneously apparently... Anyway the flight is confirmed and payed for
by now so there's not much I can do.

It still might not be too late to change; you may wish to
check with whoever is arranging your travel. Especially
if you're starting your work in Kyoto immediately upon
arrival - I certainly wouldn't want to have to show up
to a meeting or whatever after just arriving in Narita and
THEN following that up with the train trip you'll need to
get to Kyoto. Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

I bought a couple of guidebooks in the meantime which, along with your
comments, should get me going. I've got just another issue, and it's a
recurrent one: I have to buy a digital camera... I searched the Web
and these NGs but I wasn't able to find any recent postings/articles
about the subject. My preference (after some research) lies with the
Nikon Coolpix 5200 or something similar. Does anyone have a clue as to
whether it's cheaper in Japan or in Europe? Of course also considering
warranty, assistance, etc.

Buy before you leave; it's very unlikely that it will be
less expensive in Japan, and this way you'll have a chance
to familiarize yourself with the camera before you leave.
Besides, all documentation, etc., that comes with the camera
in Japan may be in Japanese only.

Bob M.

Bob Myers wrote:
"abcd" wrote in message
m...


I'm flying into Narita because that's what I was instructed to do.
Erroneously apparently... Anyway the flight is confirmed and payed for
by now so there's not much I can do.


It still might not be too late to change; you may wish to
check with whoever is arranging your travel. Especially
if you're starting your work in Kyoto immediately upon
arrival - I certainly wouldn't want to have to show up
to a meeting or whatever after just arriving in Narita and
THEN following that up with the train trip you'll need to
get to Kyoto. Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

Actually, I think you'll find that you can get from Narita to Kyoto via
the Shinkansen faster than you can get from KIX via either the bus or
the combination of trains, depending on the time of day, even though the
distance is double. Getting to and from KIX is a real pain!

Steve Kramer
Chiang Mai, Thailand
http://www.photoenvisions.com

--
"The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new horizons,
but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

Actually, I think you'll find that you can get from Narita to Kyoto via
the Shinkansen faster than you can get from KIX via either the bus or
the combination of trains, depending on the time of day, even though the
distance is double. Getting to and from KIX is a real pain!

Not always so.
When you get to KIX, then you'll just ride JR's express "Haruka" going to
Shin-Osaka and Kyoto directly. The express just takes 75 minutes to Kyoto.

================================================== ======================
(Mr.) IIJIMA Hiromitsu,
aka Delmonta http://www.ht.sakura.ne.jp/~delmonta/

I felt in love with a girl which live in Takatsuki, that's why I want to
live there.

--
Bye Guus

Webpage http://guus.dse.nl/ Weblog http://zapguz.dse.nl/ Photosite
http://zapfoto.dse.nl/ E-mail
icq 15582630 msn as New and you can join too
http://www.blurryimage.com/user/zapguz
"John W." schreef in bericht
om...
"Guus Veldhuis" wrote in message
...

I want to start living there from may next
year in a little part of Osaka called Takatsuki. I had enough of Europe.

What made you decide on that section of the region? Personally I loved
living in Shin Kobe. A short distance from my apartment there was
great shopping, restaurants, bars, hiking, bicycling, rock climbing
(gym, though there are some rocks relatively close), and swimming. The
pollution isn't too bad (relatively close to the coast). To me it was
an ideal place to live.

John W.

I felt in love with a girl which live in Takatsuki, that's why I want to
live there.

--
Bye Guus

Webpage http://guus.dse.nl/ Weblog http://zapguz.dse.nl/ Photosite
http://zapfoto.dse.nl/ E-mail
icq 15582630 msn as New and you can join too
http://www.blurryimage.com/user/zapguz
"John W." schreef in bericht
om...
"Guus Veldhuis" wrote in message
...

I want to start living there from may next
year in a little part of Osaka called Takatsuki. I had enough of Europe.

What made you decide on that section of the region? Personally I loved
living in Shin Kobe. A short distance from my apartment there was
great shopping, restaurants, bars, hiking, bicycling, rock climbing
(gym, though there are some rocks relatively close), and swimming. The
pollution isn't too bad (relatively close to the coast). To me it was
an ideal place to live.

John W.

I felt in love with a girl which live in Takatsuki, that's why I want to
live there.

--
Bye Guus

Webpage http://guus.dse.nl/ Weblog http://zapguz.dse.nl/ Photosite
http://zapfoto.dse.nl/ E-mail
icq 15582630 msn as New and you can join too
http://www.blurryimage.com/user/zapguz
"John W." schreef in bericht
om...
"Guus Veldhuis" wrote in message
...

I want to start living there from may next
year in a little part of Osaka called Takatsuki. I had enough of Europe.

What made you decide on that section of the region? Personally I loved
living in Shin Kobe. A short distance from my apartment there was
great shopping, restaurants, bars, hiking, bicycling, rock climbing
(gym, though there are some rocks relatively close), and swimming. The
pollution isn't too bad (relatively close to the coast). To me it was
an ideal place to live.

John W.

"IIJIMA Hiromitsu" wrote in message
...
Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

Actually, I think you'll find that you can get from Narita to Kyoto via
the Shinkansen faster than you can get from KIX via either the bus or
the combination of trains, depending on the time of day, even though the
distance is double. Getting to and from KIX is a real pain!

Not always so.
When you get to KIX, then you'll just ride JR's express "Haruka" going to
Shin-Osaka and Kyoto directly. The express just takes 75 minutes to Kyoto.

Plus it's about one hour from Narita before you can even get on the
Shinkansen.

"IIJIMA Hiromitsu" wrote in message
...
Yes, Narita really IS that inconvenient
if Kyoto is your destination; KIX is greatly preferable.

Actually, I think you'll find that you can get from Narita to Kyoto via
the Shinkansen faster than you can get from KIX via either the bus or
the combination of trains, depending on the time of day, even though the
distance is double. Getting to and from KIX is a real pain!

Not always so.
When you get to KIX, then you'll just ride JR's express "Haruka" going to
Shin-Osaka and Kyoto directly. The express just takes 75 minutes to Kyoto.

Plus it's about one hour from Narita before you can even get on the
Shinkansen.