Brief trip report on 1 week in Japan

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

We arrived at Narita on the 25 th of Feb after a pleasant flight on  
UAl from the USA. We rented a Softbank SIM chip for my Nokia E61 at  
the airport and it worked like a charm. 105 Yen per day  and free  
incoming. It is about 90 yen per call outbound but I almost never  
make outbound calls in Japan. http://www.softbank-rental.jp/en/phones/ 
sim3g.php

We took the airport bus in and I finally took advantage of a buy. You  
normally pay 3000 Yen for the ride. But if you ask you can buy the  
trip PLUS an unlimited one day pass on the Tokyo Metro for 3100 Yen.  
Thats 100 Yen for the pass -- normally about 450 Yen.

We stayed at the ANA Tokyo Hotel, Easy walk to the Roppongi and very  
near the Metro. For a change we had a chance to be a tourist and did  
the National Museum in Ueno (free if you are over 70) and the Temples  
etc. Lots of walking in shopping streets with small stalls. We did  
the Akihabara and it is sad to see the changes. Large "CompUSA"  
stores replacing the small shops (they are still there but I would  
gusess not for long) All standardized stuff.

Food was , as usual very good. We are getting good at handling non  
tourist places and had some neat meals. We were taken to 2 places  
worth a comment. One was a the Ukai http://www.jpn-miyabi.com/Vol.39/ 
ukai.html . It was excellent and the private rooms were wonderful. A  
MUST. The other was a Ninja restaurant http://gojapan.about.com/gi/ 
dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=gojapan&zu=http%3A%2F% 
2Fwww.ninja.tv  . A bit of Disney land with secret bridges and a  
magician. A bit overdone . The food was good but I suspect high priced.

BTW, Tokyo is not expensive if you eat as a Japanese normally eats.   
We had excellant meals for $30 per head with beer. Even Starbuchs is  
cheaper in Tokyo than the USA.

The business was also very good. I am  a Manager for the FY2007 1nd  
Exploratory Software Project -- the only non Japanese. I just  
attended the final reports on my first three projects -- all very  
successful with real good young designers and also attended the kick  
off session for my next batch of three projects. The USA needs a  
similar program.

Just got back last night and am very very tired. But today at CMU and  
then tomorrow I have to write the final reports on the first years  
efforts .

Dave






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