Japan - to those that have been...

[AntonyJ]

Geoffa prompted me to type this up, following up on some questions on another thread, so here we go.

I have long wanted to go to Japan, well Tokyo really with a look in at the Disney parks too. Also, my partner works for Virgin Trains am we want to go on the bullet train.

I really do not have a desire to go see much else of Japan, not tour and see the countryside, temples etc - it really is Tokyo I want to see, so about 5 days there am thinking?

With it being such a long trip was thinking about doing a few days going / coming back at a stop - say Hong Kong on way out, and Singapore on the way back.

I have got 161,000 VA air miles at the moment, and slowly adding more through Tesco Club Card exchange, and VA Amex card.

I am 6 foot 1, he is 6 foot 4 - and cannot see is managing in economy seats all that way, added to the fact that I get very bad jet lag when I come back from the States (thank God for Melatonin now! ) I have a concern that will fly all the way there and then feel so ill / zombie like for 3 or more days.

My biggest fear in life is throwing up, and when I got jet lag bad in the early days of Orlando trips, I used to take another week off work to recover - so would need 3 weeks leave. Then melatonin arrived, yeh!

So I want to try and get us there on a plane seat where I might have a chance of sleeping. Ideally want that on way back also, but fear that will be too much money / points. That is why I thought VA to Hong Kong in PE might be a goer, could of days there, then fly to Tokyo from there as we can sit in an economy seat for the 3 hours if need be.

VA also fly to Shanghai - another great place to stop over for a day or two...

now the Tokyo let of things lol

Thanks to the reports of Geoffa, kevin_cambs_uk and others (and the great Tokyo 2020 show on NHK TV on Sky) I feel a lot more comfortable about getting around Tokyo on the trains etc. and think could manage it.

Few things still on my mind are:

Bowing / being respectful - I would be mortified if I did it wrong and somehow offended someone by not doing it enough, or too much. One of the many things that appeals to me is the politeness of the Japanese people.

Food - I am one of the most boring people when it comes to food, I do not try new things easily and have a fear I would be spending my time eating the McD and KFC. YES - I do like tempura, some noodles, rice - but just a worry I would struggle to find things to eat, as I could not ask about them and the contents due to language barriers, and then if I try it (by some miracle!) and do not like it, cause offence by leaving it.

Lets leave it at that for a start