Guest viewing is limited

Need advice for May 2018

DJnLJ

TAG Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
152
Reaction score
191
My wife and I are planning on taking a trans-Pacific cruise from Tokyo in May and will be arriving a few days early to travel around Japan beforehand. I am hoping to get some advice on places to go/things to see.

We are a mid-40’s white couple from the US, I’m average, wife is IMHO model quality, and she has been asked to do photo work. We are both swingers, we have been to nudist resorts, and are frequent FantasyFest attendees, she is an exhibitionist. This will be my wife’s first time in Japan, and my first since 1992.

Our cruise departs Tokyo on Sunday May 6, 2018, the end of Golden Week, and visits Shimizu, Aomori, Hakodate, and Sapporo in Japan. We are tentatively planning to arrive May 1,, 2018.

Things we would like to do while in Japan:

Stay at a ryokan, preferably with outdoor, mixed onsen where suits are not required.

View Mt Fuji, love to see the sunrise from the top again but not willing to climb it in May.

In Tokyo visit: Shinjuku & Akihabara, especially a visit to M’s.

Visit a Happening Bar or Couples Kissa.

Visit Lake Biwa/Kyoto. Probably want to see the sun rise at the lake.

We will most likely be doing the Cherry Blossom viewing in Hakodate or Sapporo.

Is there anything like storage spaces in Tokyo? Thinking it might be easier to leave luggage for the cruise there than travel with it.



I would also like to know what renting a car would be like, as well as possibly renting a phone with GPS for the week.



So far I found Amagiso Ryokan offers mixed onsen that doesn’t require suits at night.

I found Hottarakashi onsen for viewing Mt Fuji (at least see the sun come up on the mountain even if not able to see the sun come up while on the mountain. But have not been able to confirm mixed onsen or if suits are required?
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Viewing Mt Fuji in May may be difficult. Fujisan likes to hide behind a shroud of clouds, and is most visible in the early AM especially from Nov-Feb. You may luck out though, so just a bit of warning ahead of time.

Iirc there are luggage storage services in Tokyo station, but I am not 100% certain how they work.

Renting a car with GPS shouldn't be a problem, getting one with English language will be. I just use Google maps myself.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Do you think it will be really bad cloud cover early May for sunrise? I figured we would get there before the sun comes up and enjoy soaking in the water together. Plus her showing off depending on the crowd.

I figured the car GPS would be a pain, that is why I was thinking rent a phone with GPS.

Thanks for answering.

Also, what sort of weather would be Golden Week? How little could she get away with, both temp and social wise? And would a HB/CK be active during a weekday during GW?
 
Blur2017-vi.jpg

A picture of her from the Atlanta Ren Faire this year.
 
Do you think it will be really bad cloud cover early May for sunrise? I figured we would get there before the sun comes up and enjoy soaking in the water together. Plus her showing off depending on the crowd.

I figured the car GPS would be a pain, that is why I was thinking rent a phone with GPS.

Thanks for answering.

Also, what sort of weather would be Golden Week? How little could she get away with, both temp and social wise? And would a HB/CK be active during a weekday during GW?

The cloud coverage is always hit or miss. It could be 100% clear everywhere else, and Fuji could still be shrouded in clouds. Since you are planning on going for Sunrise you may be ok, usually the clouds roll in a little bit later.

Weather will be cool, especially in the mountains near Fuji. Probably going to have to cover up a bit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
The cloud coverage is always hit or miss. It could be 100% clear everywhere else, and Fuji could still be shrouded in clouds. Since you are planning on going for Sunrise you may be ok, usually the clouds roll in a little bit later.

Weather will be cool, especially in the mountains near Fuji. Probably going to have to cover up a bit.

Shouldn't be there long, drive over from Kyoto, spend the night, get up to go to the onsen for sunrise, then back to Tokyo for a couple days.
Short skirts OK for Tokyo or would a sweater be better? I enjoy her showing off, but she doesn't enjoy it as much if she is cold.
Also, how much can she get away with showing off?
 
Shouldn't be there long, drive over from Kyoto, spend the night, get up to go to the onsen for sunrise, then back to Tokyo for a couple days.
Short skirts OK for Tokyo or would a sweater be better? I enjoy her showing off, but she doesn't enjoy it as much if she is cold.
Also, how much can she get away with showing off?

It'll be spring, so you never know, it could be warm it could be cool.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Imho, driving should be avoided unless public transportation is limited. You might be better off renting just locally in the fuji area.

You need to look up the golden week dates for next year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: AliceInWonderland
Yeah, I saw I was there for Golden Week, unfortunately it is also the week before a transpacific cruise. You work with what you have...

As for driving vs public transit, luggage is the main issue. Planning a month of travel total, so that's a lot of stuff even washing clothing. Figured having a vehicle would make that a lot easier and the wife is NOT going to go for public transit with all our luggage. Looked in to storing in Tokyo but it seems our better bet is fly in to Osaka, visit Kyoto, then head towards Fuji, up to a Ryokan (found one with konyoku that didn't require suits), then down to Tokyo to explore before the cruise.
 
Thanks! I will definitely have to consider how this can work into my travel plans. Didn't mind renting the car but was not looking forward to driving during Golden Week, even if I had no plans for driving inside the cities and just in between.
 
LOL

Well the plan was a couple days in Kyoto, a day at Fuji with a visit to Hottarakashi onsen, and then to a ryokan in Takaragawa. Then a drive to Tokyo and turn the car in to use local transit. Wasn't too sure about getting to some of the out of the way places, especially seeing as how much Japanese is currently limited to, ummm, none. Last time I was in Japan was in the early 90's and I barely spoke it then. And forget reading it.
 
My wife and I are planning on taking a trans-Pacific cruise from Tokyo in May and will be arriving a few days early to travel around Japan beforehand. I am hoping to get some advice on places to go/things to see.

We are a mid-40’s white couple from the US, I’m average, wife is IMHO model quality, and she has been asked to do photo work. We are both swingers, we have been to nudist resorts, and are frequent FantasyFest attendees, she is an exhibitionist. This will be my wife’s first time in Japan, and my first since 1992.

Our cruise departs Tokyo on Sunday May 6, 2018, the end of Golden Week, and visits Shimizu, Aomori, Hakodate, and Sapporo in Japan. We are tentatively planning to arrive May 1,, 2018.

Things we would like to do while in Japan:

Stay at a ryokan, preferably with outdoor, mixed onsen where suits are not required.

View Mt Fuji, love to see the sunrise from the top again but not willing to climb it in May.

In Tokyo visit: Shinjuku & Akihabara, especially a visit to M’s.

Visit a Happening Bar or Couples Kissa.

Visit Lake Biwa/Kyoto. Probably want to see the sun rise at the lake.

We will most likely be doing the Cherry Blossom viewing in Hakodate or Sapporo.

Is there anything like storage spaces in Tokyo? Thinking it might be easier to leave luggage for the cruise there than travel with it.



I would also like to know what renting a car would be like, as well as possibly renting a phone with GPS for the week.



So far I found Amagiso Ryokan offers mixed onsen that doesn’t require suits at night.

I found Hottarakashi onsen for viewing Mt Fuji (at least see the sun come up on the mountain even if not able to see the sun come up while on the mountain. But have not been able to confirm mixed onsen or if suits are required?

All I have to say it hiking Mount Fuji is such an unforgettable experience. If you hike at night it looks and feels like you are on Mars no joke.

The sunrise and the view the following morning is epic!
 
I know, wife was hoping to climb it for sunrise but that definitely is NOT happening. Instead planning to be soaking in water watching the sun rise on Mt Fuji as the second best alternative.
 
Don't worry, going somewhere from/to Tokyo during Golden Week doesn't feel at all like driving; more like parking at the highway! :eek::D

This times 1000.

I remember trying to get to Nagoya for work on the highway during Silver Week a year or two back - cars were lined up for a kilometer (seriously) to get into rest stops and the route on Google Maps was blood red for almost the whole trip.

If I had to do it again I would only even attempt it in the dead of night.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
Typical golden week traffic on the Chuo or Tomei expressways often have 20-40Km lines of traffic trying to get out of/into the city. I refuse to drive anywhere west of Tokyo during Japanese holidays.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikeH
OK, a question, what about driving from Tokyo to the 5 lakes region of Fuji Saturday or Sunday (still figuring out if we are flying in on Sat or Sun) and then back the next day on the first weekend of GW?
 
Don't worry, going somewhere from/to Tokyo during Golden Week doesn't feel at all like driving; more like parking at the highway! :eek::D

Get a motorcycle license. :)
 
Get a motorcycle license. :)

Even when the car drivers in Japan are very courteous, meaning they don't try to actively kill you, it won't be much fun to zoom between standing lines of cars and all the time being on alert for lane switchers.

Mountain roads on a normal weekend are much more fun! :cool:
 
Even when the car drivers in Japan are very courteous, meaning they don't try to actively kill you, it won't be much fun to zoom between standing lines of cars and all the time being on alert for lane switchers.

Mountain roads on a normal weekend are much more fun! :cool:

Yeah, but eventually you get past the traffic jam and into those sweet mountain roads. Or even just open freeways. :)

The only true downside is you don't have a back seat for rest stop sexy fun times.

Well, and I suppose road head is a little more logistically challenging.....
 
OK, a question, what about driving from Tokyo to the 5 lakes region of Fuji Saturday or Sunday (still figuring out if we are flying in on Sat or Sun) and then back the next day on the first weekend of GW?

Honestly I'd take a train. There are services that will ship/hold your luggage for a relatively small amount of money if that's an issue. For example you can ship a suitcase from Tokyo to Narita airport and have them hold it for you there for pickup for under 2000 yen. You might be able to send your bags ahead to your hotel/ryokan as well.

Trains out of Tokyo to the Fuji area are really convenient but the buses once you get out there are slightly less so. They tend to stop running rather early in the day. That said the worst part of the traffic will definitely be getting out of town - you might do better getting out to the Fuji area via train and just renting a car for the day from a place near the station there.
 
I had considered renting the car local, but wasn't sure how well that would work with being a foreigner? International DL isn't a problem.

And yes, I would really only need the car for driving around in that area, there are several spots I want to take LJ to there and the bus schedule didn't look conducive to that.