Planning trip to Japan or Taiwan

Travel logs and questions
Post Reply
Noonie
Posts: 360
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:30 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:30 pm

My favourite teas are Sencha and High Mountain Oolong. One day, maybe in a few years, I would like to visit one of these countries to explore local tea culture. I haven't done any research, beyond watching videos on YouTube. Once I choose a location, I would spend some time on-and-off over the next 1-3 years researching...getting excited.

I see myself visiting several shops each day, where I can drink tea, as well as buy some tea and tea ware (but the focus is on drinking tea, and exploring the culture). Here in Canada, I've visited several tea shops where you sit down with a pitcher of hot water, your choice of tea and the accompanying teaware and have a nice long tea session...talking 'tea' with the employees. I would love to do this multiple times a day, day after day! That would be an amazing vacation for me. I would also like to visit tea farms, and take in some local sights and cuisine.

Some thoughts as I look ahead:
- Ideally I would not have to travel too far between sub-regions within either country - I would like to see the different cultures between towns/areas, but not have to travel many hours to do so.
- I could try and learn some of the local language ahead of time, but would be speaking mainly English. Hopefully the locals are accommodating to english-speaking tourists
- I love sushi...which puts Japan slightly ahead of Taiwan (though the scenery in Taiwan looks unbelievable)
- I love cycling...and would perhaps rent a bike a couple of times and do some road cycling (maybe Chip has a comment, as I believe he's a cyclist)
- I'll likely be going alone; I've travelled alone and would find benefit in the alone time (at home it's not very quiet or relaxing ;-)
- Price is important...flight, decent hotels/B&B's (I want clean and comfortable), local travel
- Don't really want to rent a car, but could if it's highly recommended
- Would be flying out of Toronto...I think both are long hauls, but the shorter/easier the better!

I look forward to hearing from anyone who's been to both places, to compare, but if you've been to either please share the good and bad, as well as specific regions to focus on in either country.
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5782
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:09 pm

Hi Noonie, I will go through your post and give you my point of view, mostly about the situation in Taiwan, where I live and know more:
Noonie wrote:
Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:30 pm
I see myself visiting several shops each day, where I can drink tea, as well as buy some tea and tea ware (but the focus is on drinking tea, and exploring the culture). Here in Canada, I've visited several tea shops where you sit down with a pitcher of hot water, your choice of tea and the accompanying teaware and have a nice long tea session...talking 'tea' with the employees.
That touches firstly one of your later comments – without Chinese, and a rather medium level of it, I think it will be difficult to go somewhere different daily. A lot of people speak good enough English, but not everwhere and not always in teashops. There are tea rooms in the major cities where you can more likely do it. Wisteria in Taipei, and a few others in Taichung and Tainan as well (the most visited cities). Teashops want to sell tea, so unless you also spent enough money for their time it might be more of a bother than pleasure for them. It is often easy as a Westerner to mistake an invitation to have a cup, to be just that, the longer you stay, the more it would be good manners and expected that you buy something.

There are a lot of teashops in Taiwan, but a lot of it is selling crap and it is easy to get distracted. Better to focus on a few and try to make a connection – because that is paramount in getting good tea in Taiwan. Teashop are often not willing to sell their best tea to just anyone. A good introduction by someone goes a long way to open the door for better teas. Tillerman has said it in another said: Buying tea in Tw is easy, buying good tea not so much!

Also the most shops and tea rooms are in Taipei, but prices are double, triple what you can find in the other cities. Tea is better bought there, rather than wher it is harvested. The good stuff is often bought in bulk and already reserved for the shops. Go to plantations by all means, but do not be tempted to buy there. As a tourist it is a recipe for failure.


Noonie wrote:
Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:30 pm
Some thoughts as I look ahead:
- Ideally I would not have to travel too far between sub-regions within either country - I would like to see the different cultures between towns/areas, but not have to travel many hours to do so.
That is easiest in Taiwan, the whole country can be traveled length-wise in 2 hours by high speed! Lots of culture and food going on everywhere! East is most impresing in terms of nature, South for food! Tea: Taipei and surroundings has: Tieguanyin, Baozhong and Oriental beauty, all the high mountain is in the middle around Taichung, as well as Ruby black tea. Other lesser known teas are a bit spread everywhere in between.
Noonie wrote:
Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:30 pm
- I could try and learn some of the local language ahead of time, but would be speaking mainly English. Hopefully the locals are accommodating to english-speaking tourists
- I love sushi...which puts Japan slightly ahead of Taiwan (though the scenery in Taiwan looks unbelievable)
From experience I would say Taiwanese try harder to communicate and speak more English, or are willing to use it. Japan is a bit more closed off and less easy for Westerners.
Sushi is a lot cheaper in Taiwan!!! Japanese often come to eat it in Taiwan as it is so expensive back home. Style is slightly different, but nonetheless good! Best place is Taipei for that. A lot of Japanese chefs there as well.
Noonie wrote:
Sun Dec 17, 2017 6:30 pm
- I love cycling...and would perhaps rent a bike a couple of times and do some road cycling (maybe Chip has a comment, as I believe he's a cyclist)
- I'll likely be going alone; I've travelled alone and would find benefit in the alone time (at home it's not very quiet or relaxing ;-)
- Price is important...flight, decent hotels/B&B's (I want clean and comfortable), local travel
- Don't really want to rent a car, but could if it's highly recommended
- Would be flying out of Toronto...I think both are long hauls, but the shorter/easier the better!
Cycling is big in Taiwan and the mountain roads are very beautiful to ride! Do not come in summer though, the heat is crazy, Late autumn/winter is better. Also in time for the winter harvest!

Overall, food and daily life is cheap in Taiwan. Accomodation can be on Western levels, but if you look longer it is manageable. Airbnb exists in larger cities. Hostels and home stays are good! Tw is not as clean as Japan, but still pretty clean!

Car is highly recommended if you want to explore the whole country, public transport is only really an option in Taipei and Kaohsiung. Especially nature, the best spots are not reachable without, but then you will also nt find them without help… that is a bit of an issue.

Any more questions let me know, I am sure I will add onto this in the future, when I think of something!
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5782
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Sun Dec 17, 2017 7:14 pm

Japan on the other hand is difficult to access in my opinion. There is not really a tea house culture. It is more formal. Lots of tiny nice cafes and places where you can have tea, but not so much as proper teahouses.

Everything is presented very nicely and the craftsmanship is excellent! You pay the price for that for sure. Easy to leave a lot of money on all these nice things.

Train system to get around is very good.
Food is in my opinion, very good, but can get a bit same-ish after a while, the variety in Taiwan is larger – and TWis a fruit kingdom!
Noonie
Posts: 360
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2017 12:30 pm
Location: Ontario, Canada

Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:08 am

Thank you, Bok. This is really good information. I’ll be sure to reach out here as I have more questions. One thing I’ll say now, as an avid cyclist I would definitely like to spend some time riding in the lower mountains during the trip. Tea and cycling would make for a great experience!

Living in Canada I’m used to cold weather, and a trip to Taiwan during very cold winter would certainly work for me...as I wouldn’t mind days of 10C and, hopefully, less rain.

Cheers!
User avatar
Bok
Vendor
Posts: 5782
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 8:55 am
Location: Taiwan

Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:14 am

Noonie wrote:
Mon Dec 18, 2017 5:08 am
Living in Canada I’m used to cold weather, and a trip to Taiwan during very cold winter would certainly work for me...as I wouldn’t mind days of 10C and, hopefully, less rain.

Cheers!
You are welcome!

Bare in mind that with humidity 10C and less is a lot different than the dry cold you are used to! I am no stranger to cold, but humid cold is something else! Houses are not isolated and central heated either, so inside is usually colder than outside. There is more rain in winter though unfortunately.

Also maybe join a few of the Taiwan facebook groups to get more info, like Tea in Taiwan for example. Lots of friendly people who can set you up with lots of things.
User avatar
Excelsior
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:13 pm
Location: Irvine, CA

Mon Jan 15, 2018 4:07 pm

A tour, dedicated to tea lovers might be a better way to travel. This is off the steepster website and they are in the midst of taking reservations for their 2018 tour to Japan.
http://www.littletreetea.com/tours/japan-tea-tour-2018/

Much of the tour takes place in/near Kyoto. Kyoto, along with the neighboring Nara are the oldest cities in Japan and it would offer a great opportunity so visit some of the most beautiful temples and shrines of the Kansai region. Might be worth it to plan extra days after the tour to stroll through the streets of Kyoto. Cars are really not needed. The public transportation system in Japan is excellent and will take you anywhere in the country. I am not affiliated with this tour in any way but it makes sense. It is their second time and it is far easier to let someone else take care of the logistics and accommodations while touring tea facilities in Japan.

Might be worth it to take several days in Tokyo, too. I’ve lived there for over half of my life, and if you like sushi, there are just so many reasonably priced restaruants all throughout the city. There are a number of them located in Kanda. Not too hard to find since it is a station of the most travelled train line in Tokyo, the Yamanote (JR) Line. If you have the cash then try some of the esoteric fish like Poisonous Blowfish (no, it won’t kill you), Lampfish, and all sorts of other fish raw and also cooked. Yet Japanese food is not just sushi. Yakitori (chicken), Udon, Soba, Ramen (noodles), Nabe (hot pot), Shabu Shabu, Tempura, Tonkatsu, Teppan Yaki, Genuine Japanese Wagyu Beef, are just a fraction of the plethora of food Japanese food offered in the restaurants of Tokyo. What to eat if you get tired of eating Japanese food every day? Italian, French, Chinese, Korean restaurants in Tokyo rival restaurants in their
respective countries.

Got to love Shibuya crossing with its huge video monitors affixed to the walls of buildings. Also on the Yamanote Line It reminds of scenes from Blade Runner. And then there is Shinjuku Station. 3 million passengers pass through this station every day making it the busiest station in the world. You can take a short walk from there to Shinjuku Gyoen. A park complete with its own tea house. Japan is a tea house culture and tea ceremony is properly performed at a tea house which can be found in some gardens and parks around Tokyo and Kyoto.

Japan is very safe and while many people may not speak English, many people will take out the time to help tourists in need.
Post Reply