North-East Asia

I will be in Tokyo in mid-February 2019. Any thoughts on whether the outer market at Tsukiji is still worth visiting? Same atmosphere it used to have, or is it quite declining? My emphasis is on eating fish in that market atmosphere, as well as doing some photography. Likewise, is the new Toyosu market worth a visit, in that it now has that same outer market atmosphere? I'm not really interested in the inner market aspect, or things like the tuna auction.

We will have 2 days in February on the end of a ski trip and would like to go somewhere not too far off the track between Tokyo and Nagano. We are a family of 4 with 2 adult sons (not so interested in art!) We have been to Japan a few times before so have been to Kyoto and Osaka. I was wondering about Nagoya or Yokohama and would appreciate any suggestions.

Hi Everyone,

I will be in Shanghai and thinking of the following itinerary. Please let me know if I need to remove/add/rethink etc..

March 23/24/25 - Shanghai
Don't know exactly what to do, but most likely would just walk around and do the highlights of Shanghai. I like simply meandering through streets as well. Just absorbing the daily urban life and neighborhoods. Let me know if you have a cool neighborhood to check out. Doesn't have to bustling, could be quite and have interesting…

Hello all,

My wife and I are going to Japan for an extended trip in March. We are starting out in Tokyo for a week, then heading to Kyoto for 3 days, then 3 days in the Hiroshima area, then back to Tokyo for a few more days before we fly out.

I have a simple kanji tattoo on one shoulder, normally covered and not that big to begin with. My wife however, has several tattoos and most of her clothes leave them visible. She has a large tattoo on each shoulder, one about mid thigh on her right…

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend and I are planning a one-month trip to China in the month of May. We have not booked our tickets yet, but plan to arrive on the 3rd of May, and leave on the 26th. We would like to see Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Kunming, and travel around with a backpack.

Our question is, whether you would recommend us to travel from North to South (Beijing to Kunming), or from South to North (Kunming to Beijing).

What we're most afraid of is the possibility of rain in the South, in…

Hi guys, I'm preparing my trip for Japan in April. Thanks to all for all the infos already available and the tons of links to pertinent infos. After reading a lot about the JR pass I came to the conclusion that it is not worth it in my case. So I'll buy a Pasmo or Suica card or both in Tokyo. But then is it realistic to have a connection time like below for a leg between Narai and Kyoto? I understand that none of the cards will be accepted on a "trans region travel". But then is it possible in…

Dear all,

Nadeem

I'm getting our itinerary put together for a 15 night Japanese vacation. We're including several days in Tokyo & Kyoto, but we are also looking for a couple of great hikes. We've trekked through the Andes, spend a lot of time hiking in the Rockies, and would love to explore part of the Japanese ranges. Since we have a pretty short timeline, I'm hoping to find a not insanely expensive hike/trek company that we could work with to navigate & determine our best routes. Unfortunately everything I've…

Hi all,

I'll be in China for work and I have a spare day - I've traveled quite a bit in China before but am keen to visit Huangshan. If I fly in late at night and then fly out very late the next night (11pm) to and from Tunxi (i.e. have one full day at Huangshan) - would I be able to visit the mountain and enjoy without feeling like I've missed out on too much.

Appreciate the honesty! Thanks!

Hi All,
Still having sticker shock from our Japan trip in April. Meals seem to be the wild card (esp in Tokyo): what's a reasonable estimate for dinners in Tokyo and in places like Kanazawa or Kagaonsen? I see anywhere from $200 - $400 per person (!!!)...does that include drinks too?? We will want a fun, small to medium venue (no Michelin necessary) with exquisite food and a chance to taste the Japanese palate.