‘Japan travel’ | Get beneath the surface

Tokyo on the cheap

Posted on 13 May, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Contrary to popular belief, Tokyo is not that expensive. In fact, it is generally a cheaper place to visit than say London or Rome (Think recent press about four ice creams for £54). Food is cheap, but without losing the quality, public transport is cheap and a pleasure to use and some of the main sights in Tokyo are free…completely free. So here are a few reasons to back up why Tokyo is so great and well, cheap.

Mt Fuji from Tokyo

Million dollar views for free
You can’t grasp the size of the world’s biggest Metropolis until you look down on it from above. The city’s newest landmark, Tokyo Skytree will give you that extra few metres standing 634metres above Tokyo. The observation deck stands at 450 metres and cost 3000yen (approx £19.50) has been criticised by some as being too expensive (although it is the same price as the London Eye but gets you an extra 300 metres for your money). Alternatively (and still my favourite) the Shinjuku Metropolitan Government Building or Tocho, is one place that you can get a taste for Tokyo for free, 202 metres up above the city. Take the elevator up to the 48th floor and enjoy views of the city, across the sprawling suburbs out to Mt Fuji. A great place to watch the sun go down and the lights come up.

Free festival fun
Head to Tokyo at the right time of year and there are all sorts of traditional festivals to enjoy. The festival or matsuri, is a big part of Japanese life and culture and the chance to get involved with the locals. Every festival is different, but expect to see men and women of all ages in bright yukata, kimono, jinbe jackets and fundoshi loin cloths, portable Mikoshi shrines, lots of good food stands, fireworks and people enjoying a drop of sake. There are hundreds of festivals throughout the year and all are free. The Kanda Matsuri (closest weekend to 15th May), the Sanja Matsuri (3rd weekend in May), the Sumidagawa Fireworks festival (last weekend in July) and the

Places to people watch
Take a stroll through some of Tokyo’s trendier districts on a Sunday to get a taste of modern culture. After taking a train journey for around a £1 or under $2, you could find yourself in Harajuku, browsing the cool shops. Walking over the bridge, passing the ‘Harajuku kids’, passing Meji Jingu Shrine in its beautifully forested grounds (free entry), you will find yourself in Yoyogi Park.
On a Sunday afternoon, you will find karate groups practicing, taiko drummers, rock and pop wannabes, comedians and more – A great place to people watch and relax.

Senbe rice crackers

Food for free
Eat for free!….well sort of. Feeling peckish? Head to one of Tokyo’s department stores and straight to the basement. You will find huge amounts of beautifully presented food in the gigantic and food halls of department stores such as Mitsukoshi and Takashimaya. You can stroll around sampling all sorts of Japanese delights. If you are wanting something more substantial, there are all sorts of options for just a few pounds/dollars. 100yen sushi – plates of good sushi costing approximately 65pence and under a dollar. A big bowl of hot ramen will set you back around 500yen (approx. £3.25 / $5). A convenience store bento box consisting of rice, fish, meat vegetables and more will cost around 400yen (less than £3/$5). And the best thing is that although cheap, the food is also good quality too.

Wandering on the cheap
The good thing about Tokyo is that it is the city and the people that are the real experience and not particular sights necessarily. Everywhere you go, you will find something new or stumble across something interesting. Just walking around amongst the lights and noises of Shibuya and Shinjuku, browsing food and clothes markets in Ueno, being wowed by floor upon floor of electronic goods in electronic department stores such as Yodabashi Camera, nipping into atmospheric little temples and shrines such as Sengakuji or exploring lesser known districts such as Kichijoji are all experiences in their own right. One of my favourite places to stroll is the retro Shibamata district. Low rise buildings, old fashioned shops selling traditional snacks and an attractive looking temple. Shibamata gives off a sleepy Tokyo feel, one of days gone by, oozing tradition and culture and is only a short journey from the buzz of the more famous districts. It is free to stroll and well worth breaking a way from the usual districts. There is something new for the Westerner around every corner in this great city, so there is no need to go and blow loads of cash on expensive tourist attractions.

There are plenty of other tips for discovering a free Tokyo as well as a good value and cheap Tokyo. I hope that this blog piece assists in expelling the myth that Tokyo is an expensive city. It can be, but it certainly doesn’t have to be. More blog pieces to follow… If you want to find out about free/cheap things to do in Kyoto, well that’s a whole different set of blogposts.

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Filed under: Sightseeing, Culture, Travel Advice | Tagged: 'Japan travel', cheap, Food, Free, InsideJapan Tours, Japanese culture, japanese food, Sightseeing, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Favourite place in Japan – Richard Pearce

Posted on 26 April, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Coming from the beautiful English Cotswolds, tour leader Richard Pearce has made his home in rural Tottori prefecture on the Japan Sea Coast since 2006. Like many of the InsideJapan Tours team he ended up in Japan on the JET programme teaching English in schools. Richard was shipped out to a little place called Sakaiminato in Tottori which you have probably never heard of….well that’s just how he likes it. Here is what he has to say about Tottori and his favourite place in Japan…..

Tottori-Ken is considered to be the most rural of prefectures in Japan, with the smallest population. Set along the Sea of Japan coast, Tottori-Ken is one of my favourite places in the world - A beautiful coastline, breathtaking mountain views, delicious seafood, friendly people and brimming with wildlife. Tottori has it all.

However, if I have to narrow it down further, I would have to say that my favourite place in Japan is the Mihonoseki Peninsula, just across the border into Shimane-Ken (sorry, Tottori!).

Stunning Daisen Oki national park

The whole area is part of the Daisen-Oki National Park, and is considered to be a “power spot” in Japan, spiritually and historically speaking. The Miho-jinja Shrine is particularly special and dates back to the 8th century. It is said to have been a favourite spot of legendary writer Lafcadio Hearn, who resided in nearby Matsue (his book Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things is a fascinating read). I used to visit on a near weekly basis for a spot of spiritual cleansing and found it particularly good at clearing a fuzzy head on a Sunday morning.

Miho Jinja

Atop a nearby 150 metre hill is the Gohon-matsu park, which offers spectacular views of Mount Daisen, rising majestically from the ocean across the bay. According to literature dating back to the year 733, this mountain was formally called Ōkami – take , literally meaning ‘ Mountain of the Great God’, as it was regarded as one of the most important mountains for the Japanese Shugendo. The Gohon-matsu park is definitely my favourite “unofficial” camping spot in Japan.

Miho Coast

At the end of the peninsula is the Mihonoseki Lighthouse, built from stone in the late 19th Century. Here you can experience stunning panoramic views of the ocean and watch the numberous hawks circling overhead. However, be warned! It is said in local tradition that if you take your girlfriend here, you then have to marry her! I tend to go alone.

Sasago beach

On the northern side of the peninsula is the Mihono-kitaura coastline. Here you can enjoy an array of natural beauty, including inlets, precipices, caves and beaches. One particularly impressive beach is Sasago. The water here is crystal clear and the beach is very clean. I honestly believe it to be one of the best in Japan, outside of Okinawa. This stretch of coastline is also a wildlife lover’s paradise. I myself have been lucky enough to dive with two metre jellyfish and observe a variety of rare birds.

I have spent many a day and night hiking, camping, barbequeing, bike riding, swimming, relaxing and generally enjoying the Mihonoseki Peninsula. I hope to spend many more in the years to come.

Looks beautiful and a top tip from Richard there. I need to discover Tottori further….into the Shimane ‘district’ of the prefecture. I am sure that all from Shimane ken will be sending a big ‘Dan dan’ your way for the suggestion.

Filed under: Sightseeing, Travel, Travel Advice | Tagged: 'Japan travel', favourite place, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, Shimane, Sightseeing, top tip, Tottori | 2 Comments »

Hagino’s Hokkaido Home

Posted on 13 April, 2013 by jimbojapanam

This wouldn’t be the first time that I have gone on about the fact that InsideJapan is luck to have some talented and interested people working for it. We all have a passion for Japan. We all have a passion for particular places and elements of culture. Some of us are from the UK, there are some from the US, some from Canada, Belgium and of course Japan. Hagino san works in our beautiful Boulder office and wanted to tell us a bit about her life and love for Hokkaido. In her own words, here she is -

Everyone’s face lit up when I tell people from the main island of Japan that I’m from Hokkaido – Every time!

Shiretoko countryside

The name Hokkaido has the effect no other place has in Japan. Perhaps when people hear the name Hokkaido, they picture the big land up north with broad sky and wild nature, and they feel the longing for the unknown country. A few years ago, there was a very popular TV series called “Kita no Kunikara”, which drew a life of a family in a country side of Hokkaido. It was kind of like a Japanese version of the American “Little house on the Prairie.” Hokkaido is not very known by foreign tourists besides the great ski resorts, but it has a lot more to offer.

Blue Lake

I am from Eniwa, the city unknown even to some people from Hokkaido. The name comes from the native Ainu people’s language “E-en-iwa”, which means “pointy mountain”. The town nestles under Mt. Eniwa, with a pointy peak as the name describes. A lot of the name of places originated from Ainu name, such as “sap-poro” for Sapporo, which means “broad dry area”.

Probably the reason why Hokkaido doesn’t have much of the historic appeal like Kyoto to tourists is that Hokkaido was settled by Japanese people long after the main island of Japan was settled. Up to this point Hokkaido exclusively populated by the native Ainu people. They relied mainly on salmon, which was abundant, and they even made shoes out of salmon skin. If you are interested in learning about Ainu history and culture, a great Ainu Museum in Shiraoi is about two and a half hour train ride from Sapporo.

Mt. Yotei

As I grew up, trips to the mountains were my family’s regular weekend and Holiday activities. The town of Kucchan is located about two hour train or bus ride from Sapporo. Kucchan has a lot to offer all season long. In summer, you can enjoy hiking up the beautiful Mt. Yotei, recognized as one of the Japan’s best hundred mountains (based on the book called “Nihon Hyakumeizan” by Kyuya Fukada). With its shape similar to Mt. Fuji, Mt. Yotei is called “Ezo (means Hokkaido) Fuji”.

In winter, the town is busy entertaining skiers from all over the world coming to enjoy the powder snow at Niseko Ski Resort. Now partly owned by a foreign company, it is easier to find information in English about Niseko. And, of course, where mountains are, onsen (hot spring) is. There is a whole range of onsen to choose from. There is also a great restaurant called “Maccarina” in the village of Makkari nearby, about 40 minute drive from the ski area, offering delicious local produce and fresh seafood.

Sweet shrimp

Hokkaido is famous for food. You are probably thinking, “Anywhere in Japan seems to be famous for food…” Well, it’s true. Hokkaido is famous for a various kind of seafood. You can treat yourself with Kaisen-don, a rice bowl with full of assortment of fresh seafood such as tuna, salmon, scallops, sea urchin, squid, octopus, and shrimp, or try Hokkaido’s favorite Ikura-don, a rice bowl topped full with salmon roe.

Chan-chan-yaki is one of the traditional cuisines of Hokkaido, vegetables grilled with usually a half of salmon, dressed with butter, miso, and mirin. One of my favorite is Ikameshi, a whole squid stuffed with rice and cooked in soy sauce based stock. Hokkaido has its own style of yakiniku (barbeque) called “Jingiskan” (The name comes from the Mongolian Emperor Genghis Khan). Using a special Jingiskan grill pan, thinly sliced lamb and vegetables are cooked together. You also have to try Imomochi (potato mochi) or Ageimo (fried potato cake) as a snack on the road as well.

Biei

The well-known Daisetsuzan National Park is the backbone of Hokkaido. With about three hours train and bus ride from Sapporo, you can get to the bottom of the aerial lift for Mt. Asahidake. Enjoy the fifteen minute scenic lift ride up to the top, and it is up to you to hike around the well maintained trails for forty five minutes, or go even farther and backpack along the ridge of the mountains. My husband and I hiked for five days going south from Mt. Asahidake, which is one of the best memories of hiking in Hokkaido. If you have a car, you could take a side trip to the town of Kuriyama on the way to Daisetsuzan National Park and enjoy a tour and sake tasting at Kobayashi Sake Factory. (Be sure to have a designated driver who is willing to just watch other people taste sake, because Japan has zero alcohol driving limit.)

Snow festival

Apart from shopping, enjoying ramen, Sapporo beer and touring through the snow statues at Snow Festival in Sapporo, you can really take time and explore the big land of Hokkaido. There are a lot more places I want to introduce you to, but for now, I will let the wild land lay quietly by letting YOU discover your secret spots in Hokkaido. As my mother put it once, “The best thing about Hokkaido is that there is nothing around.”

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Filed under: Culture, Hokkaido, Travel, Travel Advice | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Culture, Faourite place, Food, Hokkaido, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Nature, Sightseeing, Staff, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Temples and the Darkside

Posted on 8 April, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Travelling into the mountains of Nagano on the Japan Unmaksed trip, we stay at a great place – Zenkoji temple in Nagano.

Zenkoji Temple

Zenkoji is a beautiful temple and one of the most important in the prefecture. It is also the only one in Japan run by two Buddhist sects – Tendai and Jodoshu. However, having been there during a festival which sees hundreds of lanterns decorated with various characters, lining the streets up to the temple, I feel as though there maybe other forces at work here.

Darth Vader lantern

Zenkoji is very impressive. Waking up the next morning we join the monks for morning service. After walking through a pitch black room until we found ‘our path’ to the brass handle which opens up to the entrance, we then listened to the monks chant their mantra which was beautiful and enlightening.

Enlightening Lanterns

I highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the area and I will use this force to lead the tours!

Andrew

Filed under: Culture, Sightseeing, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Culture, InsideJapan Tours, Japan Unmasked, nagano, temple lodging, zenkoji | Leave a Comment »

Journey back to Tohoku – Amy Tadehara

Posted on 15 March, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Amy is from our US office. Amy also lived in Sendai for several years and has a special love for Tohoku. Exactly two years on from the tsunami, Amy returned to the region to see how her Tohoku was getting on….

When I was invited to go on a business trip to Japan this March and saw that the planned itinerary would take me back to Tohoku, my home for four years, my gut reaction was twofold: I was excited, of course, but also apprehensive. Suddenly, despite the other destinations we would see, all I could think of was that weekend two years ago when the Great East Japan Earthquake changed everything.

Beauty of Hirosaki in the snow

Still, I wasn’t going to pass on the opportunity to see Japan again, and so I flew into Tokyo Narita Airport with a group of fellow agents to spend a week exploring an area of Japan that is often neglected by foreign visitors. We spent the night in Tokyo before heading off to what the famous haiku master Basho called “the Deep North.”

We visited the Nebuta Festival Museum in Aomori (the next best thing to the festival itself); saw the beauty of Hirosaki in snowfall; soaked in the hot springs of Hanamaki; and cooked the regional speciality of Akita, kiritanpo.

Kiritanpo

But most poignant of all was seeing the areas near Sendai where the 2011 tsunami swept away almost everything in its path. Our local guide was a man who had, in the days and weeks after the tsunami, secured food and other supplies for the people who had taken shelter at his community center. We met a woman who tried to flee with her family—including her month-old grandson—and had her car taken up and deposited on another house; they had to scramble through an upstairs window to safety. But the landscape was the hardest to bear. In most cases, nothing remained of a building but the foundation, or those that had been built solidly like schools—but the two that we saw are understandably slated for demolition later this year. After all, who would want to return to the site of so much grief, terror, and despair?

And yet some do. Before we headed to the hotel, our guide pointed out a pole with strings of yellow flags fastened to the ground, one of several around us but something of an afterthought amid the barrenness. Then he told us that they were put up by residents who vowed to return even though the government has forbidden rebuilding until further notice. Much has been said about the resilience and fortitude of the Japanese after the triple disaster of 2011, but nothing has convinced me of their strength so much as what those yellow flags represent: a yearning for home, no matter the danger, and the hope that one day, life will be normal again.

However, life in Tohoku, away from the tsunami affected coast is normal. This region is still the most beautiful in Japan as far as I’m concerned. Although we shouldn’t forget those people that are still affected by an ongoing struggle, I urge people to visit this beautiful part of Japan- the hot springs, the countryside and the rich rural culture of “the Deep North”.

The beauty of Tohoku

Perhaps one of the most atractive aspects of Tohoku is the strength of its culture and traditions and the all round warmth of the people but as this footage from the ‘A Northern Soul’ tour from 2012 shows, Tohoku is beautiful. I’m sure that if Bassho were alive today, he would have a few more words to say about the place….well…about 17 syllables worth actually…

Tourism to Japan is virtually back up to pre-tsunami levels, the exchange rate against the yen means that you will get great value for money at the moment and there are a million reasons as to why you should discover Japan for yourself. If you want more reasons as to why you should travel beyond the likes of Tokyo and Kyoto, have a read of a previous post with five excellent reasons as to why you should try a bit of the north.

If you would like to donate to our chosen charity, Its Not Just Mud who are still working hard in Ishinomaki, please follow this link – http://itsnotjustmud.com/donate/

Filed under: Culture, March 11th Tsunami, Sightseeing, Travel Advice | Tagged: 'Japan travel', InsideJapan Tours, ishinomaki, Sightseeing, Tohoku, tsunami | Leave a Comment »

Tohoku: Then & Now – Ester De Roij

Posted on 13 March, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Two years on from the great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, tourism to Japan is back to pre-tsunami levels and InsideJapan Tours are assisting more people than ever in discovering the beautiful culture, countryside and people of Japan. In this anniversary week, the InsideJapan blog will focus on the region looking at how it has recovered, the charities that have made a difference and why tourists are returning to this area of Japan and indeed other areas of the country. The blog pieces are taken from personal experiences of the InsideJapan Tours team in the UK, US and Japan.

Ester works on the admin and images here at the UK InsideJapan Tours HQ assisting with the design of our Info Packs, helping with the image library and a whole host of other tasks. In fact she is a young woman with all sorts of surprises up her sleeve. As well as being an excellent photographer and a keen filmmaker, Ester has spent a lot of time travelling the length and breadth of Japan which included some time volunteering in the tsunami affected Tohoku region. Ester shares some of her experiences and photos from tsunami affected Ishinomaki town after volunteering in 2011 not long after the disaster struck and later in 2012.

The day we arrived in Ishinomaki it was really warm. Putting up our tents on the University sports field was sweaty business and just 3 days later we had to evacuate our tents because of too much snow! These were the tough conditions in post-tsunami Tohoku. During our volunteer work, the thing I found most poignant were the stories from ordinary local people in extraordinary situations – and they were happy to share.

One lady spent two nights in a car park, wondering if her son was still alive. Others spent their days worrying if the bubbling black water was going to drown them alive as it reached the second floor of their houses. One man’s family cried out of gratitude when they saw foreigners helping them and told us that living off tight rations after the tsunami was more difficult than rations during the war.

My favourite though, was Mr. Atsushi Kondo, owner of a fugu shop, who stayed with a different friend each night, borrowing clothes as he went along. We spent two days cleaning his shop, despite his statements of: “I’m 69 already, I don’t know if I can open a new shop!” So grateful for all our help, he rushed upstairs and gave everything he had left – business cards, Chinese lanterns, the lot.

Working on Kondo san’s shop

At the end of the week, we had a belated hanami party (cherry blossom viewing) for the people in Ishinomaki, and he came and greeted us with bottles of coke and orange lemonade he had found from before the tsunami. “Why are you not drinking alcohol?”, he asked us.

Hanami drink with Kondo san

To which we replied, “We haven’t been drinking all week, out of respect for everyone we are helping out.”
“Oh really? I’ll be back in 5 minutes.”
A little later, he returned with a bag and told us to hide it. It contained a bottle of Japanese Sake that he still had from before the tsunami, and he wanted us to have it. So kind!

Ishinomaki 2011

Ishinomaki 2012

Fast forward 14 months, and I had the opportunity to visit Ishinomaki again. The place looked nothing like it had looked before – clean street tiles, bustling traffic, and shops open everywhere. I asked about Mr. Kondo, or Mr. Fugu as everyone called him. Much to my surprise, the locals pointed me in the direction of a shop. A seafood shop. As it turns out, Mr. Fugu had enough motivation to open a shop again. Sadly I wasn’t able to meet him that day, but some fellow volunteers did a few months later. I couldn’t have received better news.

A tsunami wrecked house 2011

The house in 2012

Ishinomaki streets 2011

Ishinomaki streets 2012

“Ishinomaki is doing well”, some locals told me. “Some people have left, and some people have come back.”

A great personal account of the region from Ester. Two years is a long time and the region has come on a long way. There is still work that needs to be done in the most devastated areas, but generally life is pretty much back to normal in the region with rebuilding programmes moving at lightening pace. The chances are that you will probably not head to Ishinomaki unless you join one of the volunteering groups such as our favourite Its Not Just Mud or Peaceboat but there is plenty to see in this beautiful rural Tohoku area. We will continue to look at the region over the week marking the landmark 2nd anniversary.

Filed under: March 11th Tsunami, Sightseeing, Travel, Volunteering | Tagged: 'Japan travel', hanami, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, Tohoku, tsunami, volunteering | Leave a Comment »

Dr. Kanji – Japanese language master of mystery

Posted on 4 March, 2013 by jimbojapanam

After a long absence, the mysterious Dr. Kanji returns with musings about the Japanese language and comments on its use and evolution in the modern Japanese language that we can read, write and hear today ….but who is this doctor of the Chinese character?

The mystery of Dr Kanji is on a par with the whereabouts of Lord Lucan, who shot JFK and the man behind the mask of wrestling legend, Kendo Nagasaki. Perhaps we will never know….We hope to pick up the kanji comments from Dr Kanji every-now-and-then, but today the doctor talks about one popular character from early spring.

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One of the most popular events of the Japanese calendar is the coming of the cherry blossom or ‘sakura’. The tradition of ‘Hanami’ or flower viewing parties has been around for hundreds of years dating back to the Heian period (794-1185) when haiku would be written about the beautiful sakura petals. Although the blossom itself has not changed, the kanji character has evolved over the years.

Current kanji for sakura – 桜

Old kanji for sakura – 櫻

This old character consists of three parts – The characters for wood, shell and woman are all represented here.

In ancient China, people compared the beauty of cherry blossom fruits to that of a shell necklace around a women’s neck which is how the old kanji was created.

The most common sakura in Japan is that of the Somei Yoshino variety. Although it rarely produces fruit the pale blossom is considered the most beautiful and was developed as a hybrid plant by gardeners in the old Somei village (now part of Tokyo) during the Edo Period (1603-1868). The blossom front sweeps from the south through to the north from February in the subtropics to May in Hokkaido but the peak on main land Japan is in late March and earl April.

Another great insight to the crazy world of the Japanese language from the mysterious Dr. Kanji…until next time….we hope….

Filed under: Culture, Events, Language | Tagged: 'Japan travel', cherry blossom, Culture, Dr. Kanji, Festival, Festivals, Japanese language, sakura, Sightseeing | 1 Comment »

My favourite place in Japan – Jen Snow

Posted on 25 February, 2013 by jennifersnow1

We have some pretty good talent on the ground in Japan in our Nagoya office and leading tours around the country.One of our new tour leaders is Bostonian, Jen Snow. I would give you a little of Jen’s Japan background, but I will let her tell you herself.

Hello readers! My name is Jen, and I’m a new Tour Leader here at IJT. A little about myself – I first came to Japan during university through a study abroad program based in Kyoto, which is still my favourite city in the country, and one that I appreciate more and more each time I visit.

Not only can you appreciate the best of traditional culture in Kyoto, but as a college town, it is still a youthful and contemporary city – yet more laid back than the hustle-and-bustle atmosphere of Tokyo (although Tokyo is fun too for that very reason!).

Dragon stairs at Eikan-do Temple – one of my favourite temples in Kyoto

In fact, along with discovering new aspects of temples and shrines and taking excursions to Nara to visit the adorable deer, sometimes my favourite things to do in Kyoto are searching for good deals in the shopping arcades and relaxing with friends along the riverbank that runs near the centre of town.

Deer grazing in front of an art museum in Nara

I decided to continue pursuing my interest in Japanese culture in graduate school, where I received Masters degree in East Asian studies with a focus on Japanese cultural studies. As part of my degree, I participated in an intensive Japanese language and home stay program in Hakodate, Hokkaido, famous as the second city opened to the West in the 19^th century and a great place to experience the fusion of Japanese and Western architecture that emerged in the late 19^thcentury.

Following the disasters in Tohoku, I was eager to help my second-home in any way that I could, having volunteered in disaster areas in my own country quite a few times, and after completing my Masters , I went to the affected are to stay as a long-term volunteer at It’s Not Just Mud. I was inspired by locals who worked so diligently to rebuild their lives in the face of such devastating events and came to appreciate the natural beauty of the Northern Japanese countryside.

Like all our tour leaders, Jen is obviously passionate about Japan which comes across when you speak to her. Jen is keen to introduce the magic of Japan and the culture to anyone on her tour.

Filed under: Opinion, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Culture, favourite place, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, Kyoto, Sightseeing, Tohoku, volunteering | Leave a Comment »

Tokaido Trailing Diaries – Past, Presents & Futuristic

Posted on 18 February, 2013 by jimbojapanam

The clement November temperatures saw Rob Harris and the other members of the Tokaido Trail with a ‘free day’ in Kyoto before travelling back to Tokyo and their final night in Japan. The ‘free day’ allows people to catch up with some of the many cultural sights in Kyoto, perhaps head to nearby Nara (just 45 minutes on the train), maybe go to Osaka for a bit of neon excitement and good food or head slightly further on the Shinkansen – The speed of the Bullet train makes even the long journeys short! Here is the final instalment of Rob’s Takaido Trailing Diaries….

Day 8, 9 & 10 Hiroshima, Tokyo and home

Day 8 – ‘Free Day’ Hiroshima

This was going to be one of those days that I both was looking forward to, and also treating with a slight sense of trepidation.

Leaving the hotel early, we caught the Shinkansen for the two hour journey to Hiroshima. Once again, I was clocking the trains’ speed on my GPS, this time reaching a peak of 171mph. That seemed a pretty trivial piece of information however, once we alighted from the tram at the A-Bomb Dome. The enormity of what we were seeing had an immediate effect on me, and from that point onwards, I seemed to constantly have a tear at the corner of my eye.

Modern-day Hiroshima is a very pretty, modern city with an almost European air to it, and it’s beyond comprehension to imagine the destruction which was inflicted upon it at 8.15am on August 6th, 1945. Walking around the Peace Memorial Park was a disquieting experience, taking in the many memorials erected to those affected by the bomb. Words failed me at how sobering and sombre the atmosphere at the museum was. Some of the images were very graphic and disturbing, but on a whole it has been executed in a sympathetic, non-judgemental fashion, simply stating the facts of why and how it unfolded. It holds nothing back in its portrayal of the events of that fateful day, and it largely acts as just a stark warning to learn from history and never, ever repeat it. It was far from a pleasant experience, but I felt it was a necessary one – to learn, to understand, and most importantly to pay my respects Once back in the park, I gently rang the Peace Bell as a final mark of respect, before meeting up with the others and heading off to hopefully lighten the mood a little.

Catching the JR train once again, we travelled a few stops further down the coast, before boarding the ferry across to Miyajima Island. The tide was reasonably kind to us, meaning we got a good sight of the famous “floating” torii gate, which stands just offshore and leads to the islands’ Itsukushima Shrine. The island is obviously a haven for Japanese and foreign tourists alike and was heaving with people and the local semi-tame deer which are allowed to roam at will (the deer, that is – the tourists are probably a lot more restricted!). Not having long before having to head back to catch our Shinkansen back to Kyoto, we just had the time to grab a quick spot of lunch, grab a souvenir or two and some photographs at the floating torii, before re-boarding the ferry back to the train station.

Another totally efficient bullet train ride saw us back in Kyoto with just enough time for a quick wash and change of clothes, before heading in to the city for some ramen noodles, a last walk past the numerous bars, and a second session of karaoke. A very long, but very rewarding and at times, emotionally-charged day came to a close by having a final beer and a song!

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Day 9– Kyoto to Tokyo

So, our last full day in Japan was upon us. It was unbelievable to think that our tour was nearly at an end, we’d done so much, seen so much, and travelled so far, we’d become accustomed to it, it seemed inconceivable to think it was almost over.

Fate smiled kindly on us on the return trip to Tokyo, as the skies were blue and cloudless. About half an hour before arriving in Tokyo, we were finally blessed with stunningly clear views of the elusive lady herself, Mount Fuji in all her magnificence – yet another iconic image ticked off my list. Getting off the train at Shinjuku station, the world’s busiest train station, we were bombarded with yet another different aspect of Japan and Tokyo itself. Shinjuku has a more chaotic, slightly seedier feel to it than other districts we’d already visited in Tokyo – that’s not a criticism though, as it was still brilliantly insane and a lot of fun. Walking up to the hotel, we thankfully were able to check in slightly early. I think by this time, most people were starting to feel slightly travel-weary and glad to take the weight off our feet – and our shoulders, as it was a major relief to be able to dump my rucksack on to the floor of my room!

I had intended at this point to take a trip up to Akihabara, the electronics district which I’d missed on our first visit to Tokyo, but I couldn’t bring myself to take another train journey quite so soon. Instead, a few of the group contented ourselves with grabbing a bento box (another “tick” on my list!) from a 7-11 store, scoffing that on the street, and then attempting to do some last minute gift shopping for the folks back home. Anyway, I reasoned that just like leaving the spire on top of a pagoda one ring short of the “perfect” ten, leaving myself one thing I hadn’t been able to tick off the list would give me the perfect excuse to come back to Japan just as soon as I could possibly manage.

Our last night’s meal was at an Izakaya restaurant just across from our hotel, and this was probably the longest time we spent in a restaurant the entire trip – the Japanese don’t really seem to do the whole long-drawn-out dining experience like some European nations do, it’s more a case of “in, eat, out”. We all thanked Alain for his outstanding support and guidance during the trip, and passed on our gratitude to him. Having someone with his knowledge and passion for Japan really made our tour an unforgettable experience, and his enthusiasm proved infectious. Throughout, he had been nothing but attentive and efficient, giving us great confidence to get out there by ourselves and start exploring on our own. As last parting gift, Alain reckoned that we’d had a mild tremor whilst dining as he’d seen the tables shaking gently from side to side – nobody else had really noticed, but by this time, we trusted our tour guide implicitly!

There was one last thing I had to do, but was reluctant to part company with my new-found friends on the last night. I headed off on my own to take in the legendary Shibuya crossing for myself. Witnessing the neon-lit, well-mannered sheer insanity of hundreds of people crossing from all points of the compass, at the same time, was truly a sight to behold! I was amazed at how the swathes of people somehow managed to navigate their way through the oncoming crowds, all impeccably politely with no jostling, bumping, or grumbling.

Returning back to the hotel on the train, something else struck me – just how at ease and relaxed I felt. Despite being alone, in a foreign city, late at night, surrounded by people who probably had about as much English as I had Japanese, it felt remarkably natural and easy. There was no air of unease simmering beneath the surface that there might have been in the UK, and everyone still seemed friendly, well-mannered, and relaxed. I really did love this country and its people.

Day 10 – Back to reality

An early start, and what seemed a marathon walk through Shinjuku Station, to catch the Narita Express taking us to the airport and our flights home.

I was incredibly sad to be leaving Japan, and that our utterly brilliant time out there was at an end. The tour had been outstanding from start to finish, and had far exceeded my expectations. I’d experienced everything I’d wanted to (except Akihabara!), and the fact that I’d made some new friends along the way was an added and very welcome bonus – the people I’d met on the trip had, for me, made the tour truly special. Without a doubt, I had totally fallen for Japan, its people, and its charms, it is simply the best country I have ever visited, and it had left an indelible mark on me. I will miss it terribly until I return, but the memories I have will always be with me, and the country itself will forever be a part of me.

Thank you to InsideJapan Tours and everyone else on the Tokaido Trail. I am already planning and saving for my return in 2013!

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Thank you so much to Rob for sharing his Tokaido Trail experiences with us. It is really good to read through Rob’s Tokaido Trail diary and takes me back to my tour leading days. I often forget how much stuff actually goes into these trips. Even in a 10 day period, there is an incredible amount you can do and experience in Japan and it sounds like Rob did most of it….apart from Akihabara! Apparently, we have another Japan fan on board, which is always great to know. I sincerely hope that you get over there again soon Rob and I am sure that Japan will love to see you again soon.

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Tokaido Trailing Diaries – Kyoto sights and delights

Posted on 13 February, 2013 by jimbojapanam

Rob Harris and the Tokaido Trail group continued their tour back in November from the hot springs of Hakone to the old capital of Kyoto where they were to stay the next 3 nights. There is so much to do in this city and so much that they did do on this tour. If you want to know a bit more about what does happen on tour, have a read of the Tokaido Trailing Diaries from Rob Harris….by the way always worth looking at the links….

Day’s 6 & 7 – Kyoto

Day 6
Feeling very much refreshed, we packed up our stuff and said a fond farewell to the ryokan staff. I was pretty sad to leave, as I’d felt very much at home in Hakone, with its laid-back atmosphere, warm welcome and stunning mountainous scenery. In this land of contrasts, Hakone had given us all yet another different aspect of this fascinating country. One thing remained constant though, as everyone we encountered on our travels appeared unfailingly polite, friendly and helpful. And if you were able to use even the most basic of Japanese phrases, and do so in a polite, respectful way, they responded with a big smile and even greater displays of gratitude. Something tells me I’ll be back there at some point in the future.

Another bus took us back down the twisty mountain road to Odawara station to catch the 10.12am train – and not just any old train, this time it was going to be the long-awaited Shinkansen, the famous “Bullet Train”. Even queuing up on the platform is done in an orderly, polite, well-mannered Japanese fashion. You find the number on the floor matching the carriage your seats will be in, take your place between the painted lines, and then wait for the exact minute – and I mean, the EXACT minute!! – the train arrives, and then lo and behold, the door to your carriage comes to a halt precisely opposite the markings on the floor, almost to the inch. Considering some of these trains can be 16 carriages long and travel anything up to 190mph, that’s pretty impressive accuracy.

On board, the feeling is more akin to an airliner than a train carriage – smooth, quiet and very efficient. There was little sensation of the speeds we were travelling at, so I used a GPS speedometer app I’d downloaded on my smartphone, clocking an indicated 166mph as a peak speed. I don’t know how accurate that was, but it was the second fastest I’d ever travelled on land. The smooth ride gave us the chance to catch up on making notes of the trip so far, grab a quick catnap, or just stare idly out of the windows at the scenery flashing past – unfortunately we were again denied a clear glimpse of the elusive Mount Fuji due to cloud cover.

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Arriving in Kyoto Station with its dramatic main hall, we dumped our bags off in the storage lockers, and then caught a local train down to the Fushimi Inari Shrine. The bright sunshine reflected strongly off the luridly orange torii, another of those iconic Japanese images that I found fascinating. After doing the obligatory purification ritual, and also following the necessary procedure to make a quick prayer to the Gods at the Shrine, we took a shortened tour through the avenues of torii gates – the full hike up the hillside can take 2-3 hours.

I ticked another item off my “Things to do whilst in Japan” list at lunchtime, with a visit to a proper sushi bar, the kind with the conveyor belt of various dishes passing by in front of you, and the chefs preparing the food before your very eyes. I’m not the greatest lover of fish or seafood, but in the spirit of at least trying every new experience I could whilst in Japan, I tucked in – and I have to admit, it was pretty darned good!

After collecting our bags from the lockers, we had the first taxi of our time in Japan for the short trip to our hotel. I’ve mentioned before about how polite the locals are – Japanese taxis are so polite, they even open and close their own doors for you!! Quickly dumping off our bags and collecting the luggage which had been forwarded on from Kamakura, we had time for a short pit-stop, before another taxi-ride to the Minamiza kabuki theatre to meet Mie, our guide for the Geiko district tour. For me, this was one of the highlights of the whole trip. Mie was a brilliant host – witty, knowledgeable, with a well-practised patter, she brought the district to life and gave us a fantastic insight in to a world which is still largely secretive and unknown, even to the Japanese themselves. The Geiko themselves, along with their Maiko trainees, are very elusive and private people, keeping their customers and business on an extremely exclusive basis. Mie told us how hordes of paparazzi lurk outside the larger teahouses, hoping for a glimpse of a Geiko or Maiko, and how once spotted, they tend to walk very quickly out of sight – if we were fortunate, we might catch a glimpse ourselves too.

We were fortunate indeed that night, as within minutes of starting the tour, we saw our first Maiko, followed by another three or four as the tour progressed through Gion district. Even Mie was taken aback at this, and said it had been an exceptional night. I claimed it was good luck brought on by my bright red fleece jacket!! (white and red are considered “lucky” colours in Japan) Saying farewell to Mie, we had our traditional multi-course kaiseki Japanese dinner, with each small dish comprising only the freshest, locally-sourced, seasonal foods and each complimenting the other.

It was then time to hit the town and sample some of the late-night attractions the bright lights of Kyoto had to offer. For the second time on tour, I hit the sack at about 3am – the next day was likely to prove challenging!!

Day 7

Today was to be a day of temples and pounding the pavements. First up was the Yasaka Shrine, before heading to the Kodai-ji Temple with its tranquil Zen gardens, huge bamboo grove and striking architecture – yet another archetypal image of Japan. Walking further on, through the timeless streets lined with restaurants and shops of all kinds, accepting the free samples of green tea and pickled plums as we went, we headed up towards the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. We were left to our own devices today and were confident that we’d learnt enough about Japan to get around by now.

After sipping some of the holy water (the “kiyo mizu” of the temple’s name), we walked back towards central Kyoto in the search of some much-needed food! At this point, I have to apologise to all my fellow tour members, and make the admission that I took the easy option and headed to McDonalds once more. Making our way back to the hotel, we met up with Claire and then took a further walk up to Nijo-jo Castle. This was definitely worth the extra pain in my feet, as the castle and its surrounding gardens are simply stunning. It was amazing value too, being just 600 yen to enter – we reckoned a similar experience in the UK would have been three times the cost.

A lot of people who I’d told I was coming to Japan had expected it to be expensive, but in my experience, it wasn’t really the case. OK, the beers in the evening weren’t exactly student bar prices, but the things which really mattered, the transport and the visitor sights, were all very reasonably priced. You could also grab a pretty decent meal for no more money than it would be at home too, plus you had the reassurance it was in all likelihood a whole lot fresher and better prepared!

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Tonight’s dinner was yet another new experience, with Alain taking us out to experience a hot pot meal. Dipping the thinly sliced pork and vegetables in to the hot bowls of citrus-based ponzu sauce was reminiscent of the shabu shabu we’d had on the second night in Tokyo, and very tasty – once all the pork and vegetables had been eaten, we mixed a little green curry paste in to the remaining sauce, and drank it as a fabulously spicy soup.

Walking back through the neon-lit streets of downtown Kyoto after dinner, it all felt very easy-going and relaxed, until we came across a Pachinko parlour. We ducked our heads in for a quick look, and were astonished at the noise! How on earth do the regulars there tolerate the din without going deaf? We’d had enough after about two minutes, and that was more than long enough to experience one more of those uniquely Japanese things I’d had on my list.

You are probaly wondering as to why there are only two nights from Kyoto here. There is another day, which is considered a ‘free day’ when travellers can choose to wither stay in the city or utilise the Rail Pass and head out to one of the many places which are easily reached via the sleek and speedy Shinkansen…but we will save that for another post. Thanks for sharing this Rob!

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