Japan

[kt2]

I will be visiting Japan at the start of May. I know I will have missed the best of the cherry blossom, but will I see any blossom at all? Open to ideas and suggestions of places to visit for good landscapes etc. I intend to purchase the Japanese railcard so can travel freely. Any other information you might have about Japan is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Kt

[ermintrude]

I havent been to Japan, but when I went to China (Beijing, so v close to Japan) it was the end of April and there was *so* much blossom it was absolutely stunning, beautiful! I think May/June comes to the end of blossom time, so early May should be OK. Have fun!

[Zou]

A few key questions:

1) How long will you be there?
2) Photo trip or holiday?
3) What interests you - landscapes, street, shrines/temples/culture etc?
4) Can I have your tickets please?

[kt2]

I'm only there 12 days, would have prefered longer, but that's life. Photo trip focusing mainly on Lanscapes, natural features or anything unusual, I really want to get out of the cities. I dont think I need to answer your last question?

Kt

[Zou]

Oh well.

I'll have a wee think and get back to you with a few ideas and suggestions.

[Barney]

Not photo related but some personal highlights from my first trip to Japan are:

Staying at a 'capsule hotel'
Visiting an Onsen (public baths)
Staying at a 'love hotel'
Watching Sumo wrestling
Visting the museum in Hiroshima
Going hiking in the Japanese Alps

Getting a Jap Rail pass is a boon. Don't worry about getting one that allows you on all the fastest bullet trains, most are plenty fast enough to get you around quickly and efficiently.

If you're on a budget the sushi from 7-11 stores is a great value lunch.

Oh 'eck, I've got wanderlust again!

[Bettina]

Apparently, one Japanese train driver committed suicide for running 23 seconds late.

Only in Japan!

[Zou]

Well, I'll start with a disclaimer - I don't know exactly what you have in mind, where you'll be staying, how much cash you can spend on travelling (etc) and just say that if it were me, these are the places I'd be thinking about. The best thing to do would be to follow up and check out some of these places on the web to see if they float your boat. I'll try to combine places worth visiting and places worth shooting. To be honest, this'll sound just like a guidebook, because most now know enough to get you to the right places.

In Tokyo, it is well worth visiting a few of the gardens. I've misplaced my guidebooks but basically the landscape gardens that all the tourists go to. Meiji-jingu is well worth a trip, along with Senso-ji in Asakusa. If you can rty to check out if there'll be any festivals on. They get manic, but it's a once in a lifetime thing, so well worth the effort. The whole shitamachi area around Asakusa is great for street photos, and nearby Ginza provides the other side of the coin. To be honest, whilst I find Tokyo alright in small doses, I much prefer Osaka, where I lived for a couple of years (much more laid back). Any guidebook worth its salt will tell you all the top things to see and a few 'hidden' gems - so I won't go over much more for the capital.

One of the best experiences I have had was to climb Mt Fuji. Do it at night, and be at the top for the sunrise. It's 3000+ metres, so you really do feel on top of the world. The glow as the sun makes its way to the horizon is stunning. Shizuoka has lots of pretty mountain and hill scenery dropping to the coast. It's also very popular with Tokyo folk as it isn't too far, so it can be very very busy.

Nikko is about an hour and a half or two hours north of Tokyo. It's a great location, in the mountains with towering waterfalls nearby. Again, a good guide book will point you in the right direction. Tokugawa's shrine is worth the climb (not as a sight, as there's not much to look at, but as an important place). I went in winter and one of the waterfalls was frozen. Very beautiful.

Another 'must' is the Japanese alps. Kamikochi is well known, but then it is rather scenic. There are plenty of hiking trails, and lots to see. Ogimachi is famous for its old thatched buildings. It's another tourist mecca, but again for good reason. Takayama has a traditional old town area, with lots of buildings which seem lifted out of a samurai drama. You can just imagine there being a geisha around the corner.

You really cannot go to Japan and not see Kyoto. It's worth taking a few days if you can as whilst you can get around most of the temples and shrines in a single day, it's a hard schedule. I quite liked to just wander and pop into some of the smaller less well known shrines, as they are a lot quieter but still have loads of character. Nara is similar in that respect - a lot of the smaller shrines in the woods behind the place with the big buddha (ok, I forgot the name!) are to me more interesting and attractive. If you're really lucky you might see a wedding party at one of these shrines. Ise is not that far away but there really isn't anything to see, despite it being just about the holiest Shinto place there is.

Osaka is a city which I really love, but to be absolutely honest, if time is limited there's not much to stop for. The castle is alright (but not worth the admission fee) as a modern replica, but the gardens around it are the highlight. Early spring and autumn are the times to be there.

Kobe is another laid back city, but not necessarily worth stopping for. Himeji is famous for the huge castle, which is quite an interesting place to visit.

If you like the sea then the Seto nai kai (inland sea) is worth a visit. Sometimes called Japan's Aegean, it is beautiful in the right weather. Not much further and you have Hiroshima, which I'm sure you know about.

That covers the places I know myself, as I haven't been beyond Hiroshima or Nikko. If you do have a chance though (especially as you said you like landscapes) get yourself up to Hokkaido. It's stunning, and top of my list of places to go when I next visit.

Things to do and cherish the memories forever:
- Climb Fuji at night to see the sunrise from the peak
- Enjoy an outdoor onsen
- Visit a sake brewery and try the finest sake they have. It blows the cheap stuff away
- In Tokyo, go see Hachiko and cross the famous pedestrian crossing, get lost in the backstreets, and enjoy trying to find your way out
- Have tea at a proper tea house (you could go the whole hog and do a tea ceremony but I can't be bothered with all that - I just wanna be able to drink fine maccha!)

From the best of my memory the only blossom you'll get is fujii - which is wisteria I think. Yama-zakura (wild cherry) is my favourite, and there's always a chance to see some in the hills.

If you have any questions, I can't guarantee I know the answers, but I'll try to help. You going to have a great trip.

[kt2]

Thanks Zou, that is a great help.

Just skimmed through it and a couple of things stand out - Mt Fuji at night so I'm there for the sunrise - can't wait.
Will go through it in more detail and do some research into your key areas.

I will get back to you if I have any questions.

Thanks once again.

Kt

[welshwizard645]

I've been to Japan twice...

Last March/April I was in Osaka, just in time for Cherry Blossom, there are websites dedicated to the blooms telling you when is the best time to go....

Osaka is a brilliant city, I actually like it more than Tokyo, but then I need to spend more time in Tokyo. Zou is right, Osaka Castle is ok, but a 1930's built replica. On the other hand the train ride to Himeji-ju is worth it I am told, unfortunately I did not have the time - so that is on my must-do list for my next trip. Back to Osaka, my hotel (Westin) was next door to the Umeda Sky Tower which gives extremely good night views over the city and beyond.

Kyoto is a MUST. The Golden Pavillion and just the city in general has so much to recommend it. I had hoped to do it all in a day....it's not enough.. 3 days minimum I reckon, just to take it all in. Gear Freaks will love BIC camera at Kyoto Central Station.

Kobe and Nara (ancient capital), in the same prefecture have been recommended.

See the Top Gear episode when JC travelled by a Nissan GT-R? I'd love to recreate that journey...

above all, go there with an open mind. The people in the major cities are hospitable and friendly, and it's so efficient the Swiss would be embarrassed.

ENJOY!
Peter