Non UK Japan?

stickyfiddle

stickyfiddle

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MrsF and I are planning a trip to Japan at some point in the next 18 months (probably October '16). Just wondering if anyone has any must-dos, for photography or otherwise? I always let her do the bulk of the planning cos she both enjoys and is excellent at it, but I get input if there's anywhere specific I fancy. We're currently looking at:

Tokyo
Nikko
Kanazawa
Shirakawago
Kyoto
Takayama
Nara
Hiroshima
Miyajima
Himeji

Has anyone here been who can give some insight? It's all very different to anywhere I've been before but particularly keen on anything interesting photographically, obviously ?)
 
I've been to most of those places and could go on and on about them.

My trip from 2014,
https://goo.gl/photos/WkmgJnVzQSVByZhp9

The album should give you a good idea of what is there, there are captions and map locations for the pics you'll have to click the info button.

I won't cover Tokyo because you've probably heard of most of the touristy spots to go.

Kanazawa
  • 21st century museum of contemporary art is worth a look;
  • Kenroku-en gardens is a definite place to see.
  • There is a 'ninja' castle there but the people that went weren't too impressed.
Kyoto
  • everywhere is worth seeing in Kyoto :) Temples galore!
  • The fushimi inarii shrine is the one with the thousands of Torii gates, you'll probably want half a day there.
  • 1hr away from Kyoto is Arashiyama and the bamboo forests.
  • Kyoto is a popular place to see the changing of the colours of the leaves especially at Kiyomizu-dera Temple
  • You'll also have the opportunity to see Geisha in Kyoto, you'll need someone to introduce you to the tea house if you actually want an audience
  • The food in Kyoto is amazing, as it is all over Japan, there is one place in Kyoto though that solely deals in desert if you find it go for it.
Takayama
  • Takayama is a very traditional place so you'll get to see all the traditional buildings;
    • They also have the Hida folk village where they have assembled a collection of all the old traditional buildings from all over Japan.
  • Hida Folk village is also near the Sukyo Mahikari 'church' it's worth a 15 min walk from the folk village just to see what a cult church looks like - don't forget your free sake!
  • Takayama is home to 8 sake breweries that all have samples available to try for around £1, I did all 8 in one day, it was a good day! The breweries are all in a mile radius so you won't have to walk far.
  • For Hida beef go to Heianraku restaurant, it's the best beef you'll ever eat.

Nara
  • I was only in Nara for a few hours but there are plenty of temples to see, and deer. It's only 1hr or so away from Kyoto, as is Osaka. so you might want to just make that a day trip from Kyoto?
Hiroshima/Miyajima
  • the peace park is the place to go really;
  • Go to Miyajima for the floating torii gate photos.
  • Okonomiyaki Hiroshima style is worth eating :)

As a general tip - in Japan you'll probably be visiting a few shrines/temples. Try to get a Goshuin-cho, it's a decorative book that you take to shrines/temples and the shrine maidens/priests will do some calligraphy in the book and you get the shrine/temple stamp in the book. You have to make a small donation to the temple for the calligraphy, but they make a great little souvenir. Just don't put non-shrine/temple stamps in that book, take a separate book for all the other stamps you can collect in Japan. 7/11 have their own stamps as do the train/subway stations. If you start in Tokyo, you won't be able to get the Goshuin-cho at Sensoji temple, they don't sell them there for some reason. I got mine at the Meiji Shrine. If you just show people at the temple the book they'll direct you to where you can get the calligraphy, or you can ask Goshuin?

If you have more specific questions ask away.
 
I'll second the comments about Kyoto. It was the only major Japanese city not bombed by the Americans so has lots of old buildings and temples.

I've some pics in my Flickr photo stream.
 
I went in 2010 and it was a great experience.

I flew in to Tokyo and took a bus to somewhere in the middle of nowhere to stay with a friend for a couple of days before heading to nearby Nagano. There's a big temple complex there and some remnants of the inter Olympics, but was a good base for going to see the snow monkeys, a bus ride away. I also popped to Matsumoto, which has an amazing castle, although I was only there in the evening for a few hours, when it was closed.

I then went to Kanazawa and Takayama on the way to Kyoto. I won't repeat what's been said about those places, but will add that I went to the gold leaf museum on the way to the station, which was worth a trip to see them folding the gold leaf quite frankly.

From Kyoto, I took a day trip to Hiroshima, which was quite an experience. The museum and memorial hall are also worth a look. Loads of deer on Miyajima Island too and a lovey view from the top. Quite refreshing after the visit to Hiroshima.

Kyoto - Golden Pavilion is not to be missed.

In Tokyo, there were good views for free from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Offices, which has a viewing platform and I headed down to Kamakura from there for the day, where there is a large Buddha you can go inside and a huge flock of Black Kites circling the beach and swooping on anyone with food.

I recommend this book: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Japan-Rail-3rd-Includes-Guides/dp/1905864396
 
I saw the snow monkeys in August, they were still bathing in the hot spring. Jigokudani is what you need to search for if you want to see the snow monkeys, they have a webcam on their website :)

Going back to Kyoto, I'd favour the golden pavilion over the silver one.
 
Osaka is also worth a visit. There are some really good food places in Osaka, at Dotonbori. Osaka and Kyoto are 20 minutes apart via shinkansen (which is included in the JR train pass) or about an hour by normal JR trains. If you are going to Osaka, you can get an unlimited pass. The website contains info on what it covers and how to buy them https://www.osaka-info.jp/osp/en/index.html

3000yen for a 2 day pass is well worth it, you will save so much money. I planned a route ahead so I was able to get 15 of the 28 attractions done. But I think I was a bit insane :p

Kyoto has the Lecia shop which is worth visiting. In Tokyo (or Osaka has one as well but I prefer the Tokyo one) go to Yodobashi in Akihabara.

In Tokyo if you want something different and a bit off the tourist trail, there is the Setagaya line which is a street car/light rail train thing. You can buy a day pass for it, which is quite cheap.. I believe they were 300yen last time I went on it. You can get off at each stop and visit the temples and shrines along them. One of the shrines is supposed to be where the Lucky Cat originated from. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tōkyū_Setagaya_Line

Just remember that October can have typhoons so pack a rain coat, I wouldn't bother with a brolly. You can just grab a 100yen brolly from a 7/11 or another convenience store and continue on.. I was there during Typhoon Whipa. Going up the Umeda Sky Tower during a Typhoon was fun. They closed off the open top area shortly after I went up.

I also agree Golden Pavillion over Silver. But Kyoto has a lot of temples which can be interesting to go in.

If you want to do Onsens, I recommend going up to Hokkaido to Lake Toya. It is an Onsen resort town and I believe it is the most popular. You can visit any Onsen in the town, and there is a fireworks show on the lake. You can also go up an active volcano, Mount Uzu and see Showa-Shinsan which is a mountain which popped up in the 1940s. There is also some of the ruins from the last volcanic eruption which you can see, they have a public trial through it which is free to access. Hokkaido itself is also awesome for Landscape photography and well worth a visit if you are into that. If not, then stick to the cities.
 
Oh also Festivals. Make sure you look up what events are on. Sometimes you can find some really good festivals. In October you have the Oeshiki Festival at Ikegami Honmonji Temple but if you are going October 16th you will miss it as it takes place around 12th. http://www.gotokyo.org/en/kanko/ota/event/honmonji.html

But just check Gotokyo or whatever site relates to the city you are in for festivals as most are covered on them.
 
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