Nagano Q & A:
Where can I get / buy ____________?
Tourist info
Books
Tourist information
A: Nagano train station’s Tourist Information Center. Some of the brochures/travel pamphlets are available in English; info in other languages may also be available. The pamphlets in Japanese may also be helpful (especially when used with your own Japan travel guide) because they have nice pictures of places and may have place names written in English. An English-speaking assistant is sometimes available at the information desk. Try Hometown Homepage for more information.
Books and magazines in English
A: 4th floor of the Heiando bookstore in the West Plaza building, across the street from the train station. Ask at the front desk/cash register or follow signs to the English books. (Say "English books" & have a confused look on your face; the staff should be able to help you.) The selection is small but will hopefully fill your need. For a bigger selection, you’ll have to go to Tokyo (Kinokuniya Bookstore in Shinjuku ward has the best selection of books and magazines in English in Japan.) The selection of books and magazines in other foreign languages is quite small, even at Kinokuniya. Narita Airport bookstores might be your best bet for printed materials in Korean, German, French and other languages.
Best suggestion: buy it before coming to Japan. The selection in your home country and on the internet is almost always better than you’ll find in Japan. Imported books and magazines can cost 2 to 4 times the cost back home. US$12 for a magazine? No thanks, I’ll wait until I get home. View of bookstore, in front of train station
Newspapers
A: News kiosks and convenience stores close to the train station are the best places to look for a newspaper in English. At the time of writing this, two different newspapers in English were available in Japan. Newspapers in other languages are available in some areas, though even in Tokyo they can be hard to find. I saw a newspaper written in Portuguese at the Nagano train station.
Some newspapers: The Japan Times Asahi Shinbum/International Herald Tribune Daily Yomiuri
Internet access
A: Coin-operated computers with internet connections have been set up in the Kokusai 21 hotel for the last several years - more info below. .
Internet cafes or computers with Internet access in hotels. New Internet cafes open, and old ones close, so none are listed here. To find them, ask at the Tourist Information desk in the train station or at the front desk of your hotel if they know where one is. Prices are about Y400 (US $4.00) at internet cafes. These cafes are often full of smokers; enter at your own health risk. In 2004 & 2005, the Hotel Kokusai 21 had 3 computers available for Internet use, with charges at Y100 per 10 minutes (US$1.10). These computers did not have printers or scanners; connection speeds were very good, but they could be a little difficult to use. Alternatively, bring your own computer. Access may be available at Starbucks or hotels; ask for details at those places. Full-service office stores like Kinko’s can be found in Tokyo (even in Tokyo train station) and one may be coming to Nagano in the future. Note: the exchange rate used here is Y100 = US$1.00. Currency exchange rates ---- According to their web site, the Hotel Sunroute Nagano has internet connections in the rooms.
Stamps & Postage
A: Post offices are easy to find - one is close to Mister Donut in front of the train station, and the city's main post office is a block or 2 from the Hotel Kokusai 21. Clearly write the address & country destination of your letter/post card/parcel in English, and the staff can help you easily. You might have to fill out a small custom's form for packages or envelopes with a lot of stuff inside. The symbol for post offices is an orange T.
Stamp collectors: go to the Central post office (near the Hotel Kokusai 21) for the best selection of Japanese stamps - lots of cool designs to choose from. You may be able to buy a sheet of snow monkey stamps - cute! This post office has a selection of other Nagano souvenirs, also - post cards, snacks, handicrafts, etc.
Souvenirs
Olympic souvenirs
A: M-Wave stadium has the best selection, though it’s rather small. Items available: shirts, posters, many pins, towels and many other things. Some stores in town may have pins or other memorabilia. I found a good selection of pins at a gift shop across from the train station near the Hotel Sunroute. On race day, check for pins at booths outside the Olympic Stadium (the marathon’s finishing point). Access to M-Wave: take a bus from the train station. The M-Wave website in Japanese has photos of souvenirs available.
Japanese souvenirs
A: Stores in and around the train station, and around Zenkoji temple have a lot of souvenirs. Boxes of individually wrapped treats (small cakes, desserts, candies, etc.) are very popular. View of stores in front of the train station Or try the Central Post Office for stamps; the road leading up to Zenkoji temple has good gift shops and Japanes department stores. Go to the train station's tourist information office & inquire about transportation to M-wave.
Running apparel
Running shoes / clothing
A: Obviously you should bring your own shoes, and they should be broken in before the race. If your shoes were lost, broken, forgotten or not with you for some other reason, you can of course buy shoes in Nagano. If you’ve travelled a long ways and for some reason forgot your shoes, I think you should still try to run the race. Best places to buy shoes and clothing : from sportswear vendors at the registration area or sporting goods stores in Nagano city. One large sporting goods store is called SportsMart. I found one of their large warehouse-size stores and was impressed by the selection. They had a special section set up for runners. To find a large sporting goods store, ask at the Tourist Information Center, main Registration Desk on Saturday or go to a police office, such as the one by the train station. In Japan, police offices are used to giving directions to people looking for a particular place.
Note on sizes: Small sizes in shoes and clothing and shoes are easy to find in Japan. Large shoe sizes are hard to find. The largest men’s shoe size carried by most stores is 28 cm. My shoe size (29 cm, US 11, UK 10, EUR 45) can be challenging to find, even in Tokyo. Shoes two or three larger than my size are especially challenging to find. Your best bet is the Ameyoko-cho shopping arcade, near Ueno district in Tokyo. The area has a lot of sporting goods stores and the best selection of shoes in large sizes in Japan. You’ll have to do some hunting to find these stores, though. Conveniently, Ueno is one stop for the bullet train bound for Nagano. Once you arrive in Japan, double check that you have your shoes. If they’re missing, go to Ueno (easy connections from Tokyo’s Narita airport).
In Japan, large clothing sizes are far easier to buy than large shoe sizes. I’m a size large in the U.S., but in Japan I often have to wear XL. No I’m not fat, but trying on clothes in Japan sometimes makes me FEEL fat! FYI, sumo wrestlers often wear very large kimonos but have average size feet. Again, Ameyoko-cho is your best bet for large sizes in running apparel.
Breakfast
Breakfast (Western-style breakfast foods)
Most hotel rooms have a small refrigerator & hot water heater for tea located by or under the TV. These are standard features in Japanese hotels. Use the tea bags provided or get your own. Hot cocoa mix: hard to find sometimes, so bring your own if you really want it. Instant coffee can be expensive; consider bringing your own (thanks to Ralf in France for this suggestion - all comments & suggestions are appreciated). Stock the fridge with goodies from the supermarket, which often have bakeries. Buy some strawberries while in Japan - they're absolutely divine - the best I've ever had. Not cheap, but well worth it. Bowls of sliced fruit are often available, too. Muesli, granola and other cereals can also be bought. Get a bowl & spoon from a 100 Yen shop, or a nicer souvenir one; bowls & silverware aren't usually provided in rooms.
Youth hostels: hot water is usually provided, refrigeration often is not.
Convenience stores and Denny's are open 24-7; an early hotel breakfast if it's offered, OR:
On Saturday, get bread, pastries fruit & other foods a grocery store. If your hotel room has a mini refrigerator, store the drinks in there overnight. Starbucks doesn't open until 8 a.m., and Mister Donut isn't open until 7 a.m., so these aren't good options on race day (you have to be at the starting line by 8:00 a.m.). Starbucks, Tully's and Mister Donut are close to the Hotel Sunroute.
…so, here’s my recommendation: buy bakery items from Starbucks (must purchase on SATURDAY) and a beverage from a convenience store on Sunday morning. There is also a Tully’s coffee shop fairly close to Starbucks, but it takes some hunting to find. Japanese coffee shops such as Dotour are often full of smokers. Enter at your own health risk.
Convenience stores are a good option for everything. They have milk, juice and other drinks which often don't have English on them, but they're still recognizable. The rice balls and various bread products are good, but many don't have English writing & might be filled with sweet beans or other mystery stuff.
NOTE: the links to Mister Donut and Denny’s web pages are mostly in Japanese; you may not be able to see the full menu.
Tully's is definitely better than Starbucks, in my opinion. The whipped cream has vanilla in it (tasteless at Starbucks). Starbucks is 100% nonsmoking, though; it is located in the same area as Tully’s but a bit closer to the train station.
Sports drinks & nutrition
Sports drinks
A: Very easy to find. Sports drinks are sold in virtually every department store, convenience store, food shop and vending machine. You’re not going to go thirsty, but you may be disappointed in the taste. Japanese sports drinks tend to be bland and not very sweet. One of the most popular drinks is ‘Pocari Sweat’; many people think it’s name is appropriate because it does taste like sweat. (A common joke is: “Who is Pocari, and why does he sweat so much?” I don’t want to know.) Gatorade was introduced to Japan in 2004, though it’s not as sweet or strong tasting as it is in the U.S. You could bring your own sports drinks and chill them in your hotel room’s mini refrigerator. My recommendation for more flavor: bring small packets of lemon juice or a small bottle of lemon juice & add some of the juice to the sport drink.
Prerace carbohydrates
Nagano prefecture is famous for brown buckwheat noodles called 'soba'. Lots of shops in town specialize in these noodles, which are served hot or cold. One soba shop by the train station makes fresh noodles; they're made in the storefront window, too! Walk around the entire train statio, side & main streets to find many more restaurants. Ask at the tourist information desk in the train station for recommendations on good restaurants. I haven't had enough time to check out many of the restaurants in town myself & thus don't have any personal recommendations.
Triangular & circular rice balls called Onigiri are tasty gutfillers easily available from convenience stores. Three of these & a drink makes a quick, filling lunch for about USD$4.50. Figuring out the fillings is tough if you can't read Japanese, though. Sea Chicken (canned tuna) & seaweed are 2 of the tastiest & cheapest fillings.
For a general overview of Japanese food, consult your Japan guide book. Online, go to Japan-guide.com & search for soba (and lots of other information). The Tokyo Food Page has good info on Japanese food, also.
There is not a special spaghetti dinner on the day before the race, which some marathons have. :-(
Milk
Scenic viewpoints
Energy gels, nutrient bars, etc. (Goo, PowerBars,…)
A: Bring your own to be safe. - mostly to ensure you get the flavors you’re used to. In 2006, much to my pleasant surprise, PowerBar was a race sponsor, & a gel was in everyone's goodie bag. They have been a sponsor ever since. Otherwise, these items are not easily found in Nagano & tough to find in Japan. If these items are essential to you, bring your own supply to be safe.
Sports-related vendors have booths set up around the registration area. You may be able to find PowerBars there.
Lowfat milk
A: Most convenience stores and supermarkets sell lowfat or skim milk, though distinguishing it from the 3.7% butterfat milk can be a challenge. Wholefat milk seems to be most common, and dairy products are not consumed often in Japan. Coffee milk is a delicious option. Milk comes in many sizes, including kid’s size one-gulp cartons, pints and quarts. Train stations sometimes have snack and milk stands. Sometimes there’s a bit of English on the carton, but don’t count on it. You can try deciphering the nutrition information; In the end, you may end up with whatever the store has.
Scenic views of the city
A: There are no towers with observation decks in the city. Some hotels such as the Hotel Kokusai 21 have restaurants and/or bars on their top floors, providing nice views as you relax. Expect high quality and prices to match. If you’re staying at the Hotel Sunroute, the windows by the elevator have a good view looking out towards the train station.
The explorer’s option: Walk along Chuo Dori (a long street leading up to Zenkoji temple) and keep your eye on the hills beyond the temple. Take winding roads up the hills. I did this and found a temple & restaurant partway up. At night the view is particularly nice. It’s not too hard to get above all the buildings in town. Be prepared to get lost, see some cool little sights and walk several kilometers. A good general sense of direction is a must if you do this. Traffic is light, but you’ll be walking along the road. Use common sense: watch out for cars.
