Japanese culture | 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: Culture, Sightseeing, 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 »

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 »

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 – 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!

Filed under: Culture, Sightseeing, Tours, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Culture, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, Kyoto, Restaurants, Sightseeing, Tokaido trail, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Tokaido Trailing Diaries – Rob’s Kamakura

Posted on 5 February, 2013 by jimbojapanam

After Rob’s Tokaido Trail Tokyo diary, day three heads to the small temple town and 12th century capital of Japan, Kamakura. If you want to get an idea as to what happens on our tours and what people get up to, you might like to read on -

Day Three – Kamakura

My major impression so far on this trip was one of how the Japanese are able to balance seemingly contradictory aspects of life. Each new experience was completely different to the one which went before; each new district we visited appeared had its own distinctly unique character. Japan manages to look to the future, whilst keeping one eye firmly on the past. For example, we could be walking in the shadow of the 21st Century neon-lit skyscrapers whilst rubbing shoulders with Tokyo-ites wearing traditional clothing largely unchanged for hundreds of years. If life is a journey, a line drawn between two points, then you cannot truly know where you are headed without fully understanding where you have come from. This is a concept the Japanese seem to grasp far better than any other nation, and I think it’s something we could all learn from.

We had another of these changes in tempo after a short journey on the fantastically efficient JR network to Kamakura, a compact seaside town just along the coast from Tokyo. The rain from the previous night had blessedly cleared, leaving us with pleasantly warm clear blue skies. Kamakura itself provided a welcome change in pace from the bustling metropolis, and a chance to recharge our batteries after the exertions of the previous night. Our hotel, above a family-run sweet shop, gave us a very warm welcome, with complimentary green tea, ice creams, and small bags of delicious bite-size cakes. After a quick lunch of katsu-don, we headed to the sprawling Hasadera Temple. Climbing the hillside complex to the very top, we were rewarded with views over Kamakura and the Pacific Ocean beach front, the clear blue skies being reflected in the waters below.

Onwards to the Great Buddha at Daibutsu, an imposing sight for sure. Paying the small entrance fee, we clambered inside. I read with interest the details over the various techniques used to construct the massive figure, how the segments of bronze are jointed together. I love how the Japanese are able to combine clever, innovative engineering, with a strong sense of aesthetic beauty – form and function combining to stunning effect. This attention to detail permeates down to even the smallest, most innocuous items – Alain demonstrated to me how even a humble Japanese toothpick has been designed to have a removable end section with a small moulded recess, acting as a resting place for your toothpick to avoid it contaminating the table surface – genius!

Whilst the United Kingdom was being battered with wind, rain, hail, and even a light smattering of snow, we had fun larking about on the beach and dipping our toes in the Pacific, being bathed in warm sunshine – looks like we’d picked a good week to come to Japan! We’re still not entirely sure what Alain’s impromptu beach sculpture was all about, but maybe it would have found a suitable home at one of the venues we were to visit the next day….

Not bad for November! Tomorrow see’s Rob and co heading to the Hakone National Park with its mountains and hot springs. I wonder how they get on with the onsen? We shall find out…..Thanks Rob!

Filed under: Culture, Tours, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Big Buddha, Culture, first time trip to japan, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, kamakura, Rob Harris, Sightseeing, Tokaido trail | 2 Comments »

Tokaido Trailing Diaries – A novice travellers’ first visit to Japan

Posted on 4 February, 2013 by jimbojapanam

We have some great trips available covering just about every inch of Japan, but one of our most popular small group tours in the 9 night ‘Tokaido Trail’. This is one of our oldest trips which is designed to take in the ‘highlights’ with our usual ‘get beneath the surface’ hidden gems along the way. It is simple, yet such a good tour and we often forget how good it is in favour of some of the more ‘off the beaten track’ trips. Back in November, a chap called Rob Harris decided to head to Japan on the aforementioned Tokaido Trail….and he loved it. He loved it so much that he has put together a little diary of his time on the tour which makes for interesting reading. The diary gives us an idea as to how much actually goes on during these tours.

Over this next week, we will be posting Robs’ account of his Japan adventure along with a few of his photos from the tour. This is a man who had not been out of the UK in five years and was keen to go somewhere “a bit different”. Here is what he had to say in his “An account of a novice travellers’ first visit to Japan”.

Day One & Two - Tokyo

Day one

The day finally arrived to begin my trip, and feeling like an eight year old kid on Christmas Eve I tried my best to sleep the night before. The flight from Heathrow on Virgin Atlantic’s excellent and much recommended Premium Economy service was faultless, and I arrived at Narita Airport keen and eager to get stuck in to the Japanese culture. Even the Green Tomato bus transfer to the Toyoko Inn in Asakusa had me wild-eyed with wonder, drinking in all the fresh sights of a hitherto alien environment. As we arrived a bit too early to check in to the hotel, myself and Howard, one of the other guys on the tour who arrived on the same flight, braved the streets of Tokyo, picked a direction, and headed off in to the unknown.

Our first destination was the Senso-Ji temple, and it was straight in to exactly the sort of architecture, sights, and sounds that I’d pictured as typically Japanese in my mind’s eye – striking shapes and colours, loads of crowds, and a bewildering array of stalls and shops selling everything from Samurai swords to octopus balls. This last item had us somewhat worried over exactly what we’d be eating on the tour, but as we were to discover later that night, our fears were rather unfounded!As a complete Gaijin, I am totally embarrassed to report that my first meal in Japan was – a Big Mac!Being desperate for food, and at this time lacking the confidence to try any of the plentiful restaurants – it was the easy option.It quickly became apparent that I was the least experienced traveller in the group, but I was determined to make up for any lack of experience with an unrestrained enthusiasm to get stuck in to all that Japan had to offer.

I’d waited a long time, and paid a lot of money, for this opportunity, and I wasn’t going to let it go to waste! Our first meal was a riot of brand new tastes, techniques and textures. My chopstick proficiency was sorely lacking at this time, but I managed to fumble a few tasty morsels in something approximating the right direction, and found myself enjoying everything from standard rice and noodles, to benito flakes (still an acquired taste in my book!), squid, octopus (yes, including the previously dreaded octopus balls!), sashimi, some delicious chunks of beef, and then on to what would prove to be the only food item which defeated me whilst on tour – the horse meat. Little did I know that some shops in the UK had been selling it for years!

After dinner, we walked towards the Senso-Ji temple, which at night time had a completely different aspect to its bustling, crowded daytime version – calmer, spectacularly lit, and beautiful to look at. Crowds of young Japanese were taking advantage of the adopted American festival of Halloween for an excuse to dress in outlandish costumes and have a good time. It seemed to me that they didn’t actually need much of an excuse at all to get out and have a good time!My first day in Japan had come to a close, and I was already deeply in love with the country, its culture and people. Everything seemed so easy and natural, despite being drastically different to life in my quiet backwater of Suffolk. With some good people on the tour, I was instantly looking forward with great anticipation to the next nine days.

Day Two

Another day, another new experience – my first Japanese breakfast! Miso soup, noodles, rice balls. The only rice for breakfast I was used to was of the Krispies kind! Still, food of any kind would provide fuel for the forthcoming day, and there was plenty of decent black coffee on tap. Sleep had been in short supply, despite the previous days’ exertions and travels. Guess that’s the jet-lag for you! Even those of the tour who had arrived a day early still seemed to be struggling to fully adjust.The weather was a little reminiscent of the UK, overcast and a hint of drizzle in the air, but as I’d been pre-warned by the excellent IJT info pack, I had been expecting a bit of inclement weather whilst in Japan.

First up today was a boat ride along the Sumida River, and by the time we’d boarded the rain was coming down. Maybe it was the lack of sunshine, but the riverside buildings lacked a bit of sparkle and interest, however the gardens at Hamarikyu were decidedly more picturesque. What I had originally thought were supports to prop-up an ancient and decrepit tree were clarified by Alain as a framework to train and guide the branches in to their intricate, elegant shapes, effectively full-scale Bonsai trees! To temporarily escape the rain, we entered the tea shop, and partook in our first Japanese Tea Ceremony. Carefully following the instructions on the laminated sheet, we ate our sweets, turned our tea cups in our hands, and drained our cups. Some found it an acquired taste, but personally I found it refreshing and relaxing. Looking out over the lake, I could feel a sense of calm helping to ease a mind still reeling from the flight out of the UK.Outside the park entrance we were confronted by some of the striking modern skyscrapers of the Shiodome district. Straining my neck to look up at the vertiginous buildings, I was struck by one of the many contradictions I was to encounter on my tour. Within just a few metres of the peace and tranquillity of the Hamarikyu Gardens was the ultra-modern expanse of steel and glass edifices, two entirely different worlds existing in complete harmony.

A quick metro ride landed us in the middle of Shibuya, with the Harajuku Bridge residents dressed up in their outlandish Sunday best, parading to see and be seen. After making our way through the crowded Takeshita Dori (careful with the pronunciation of that one!), Alain led us in to the Meiji Shrine, where we mingled with locals dressed in their traditional finery, most of them all too happy to pose for pictures taken by tourists. When shown the results, the grins on their faces seemed to reflect the pride they take in wearing their national costumes. Despite the language barrier, it was becoming apparent that with a smile, a small bow, and a polite and respectful nature, interacting with the locals was surprisingly easy and rewarding.

What a brilliant people the Japanese were proving to be! Walking back through Shinjuku heading back to Asakusa and our hotel, the rain came back with increased persistence. We headed back to the bright lights of Shinbasi for dinner for some quality Shabu Shabu that defies description – in the UK, it probably would have been condemned, but in Tokyo, it was utterly brilliant. Back to Asakusa, and time to experience another mainstay of Japanese culture for the first time – karaoke! Now, I’d never claim to have anything approaching a singing voice, but again I felt it was only right to throw myself completely in to the experience. A heck of a way to round off my first full day in Japan, getting to bed at gone 3am was maybe not the finest idea ever, but the price to pay the next day was worth it for a great night out.

Thank you to Rob for his account of the Tokdaido Trail tours. That’s just the first couple of days from Rob – So much for “What happens on tour, stays on tour”! The main thing is that Rob obviously enjoyed his experiences in Japan which we always love to hear. If you want to read about what happened to Rob and the group in Kamakura, Hakone and Kyoto too, then keep reading through the week for a day-by-day account of what went on…..

Filed under: Culture, Sightseeing, Travel | Tagged: 'Tokyo travel', Group Tours, InsideJapan Tours, Japan trip, Japanese culture, japanese food, Tokaido trail, tokyo | 1 Comment »

Get a wriggle on in the Year of the Snake

Posted on 23 January, 2013 by jimbojapanam

A belated happy new year to you all!

After a roaring Year of the Dragon, we have wriggled into the Year of the Snake and the winter is slipping by. Just in case you really need a reason to travel to Japan, I thought I would list a few very good reasons as to why you should slide off to Japan in 2013.

Ice cold welcome -
Get your (snow) boots on and get out to Japan now for some of the world’s best snow and some great festivals. The winter sees some of the craziest festivals in Japan with the Nozawa Dosojin (fire festival) in January and the Hadaka Matsuri (Naked Man festival) at Sadaiji shrine, Okayama in February.
One of the more mainstream festivals though is the impressive Yuki Matsuri (5-11 Feb) in Sapporo.

Go and enjoy some ‘proper’ snow in Hokkaido with some of the best powder skiing available, but the island’s capital is taken over by huge snow sculptures at the beginning of February. The sculptures range from life-size models of famous landmarks to overgrown Disney figures taking over the city along with a party atmosphere, music, great food and drink – Kanpai! There are also a number of smaller lesser know ‘snow festivals’ that take place in towns across Hokkaido.

Blooming alternatives -
If you want something a bit warmer, then the cherry blossom is a favourite. Late March and early April is the height of the Sakura (cherry blossom) when pink fills the parks and temple gardens. This is a truly beautiful time of year and very sociable with friends and colleagues out eating food and drinking sake under the trees – great fun….but busy! Avoid the crowds of Kyoto in April and catch the late blossom in the far northern Tohoku region and Hokkaido which hits in May. Maybe you cannot wait for the blossom? – If this sounds like you, head to the subtropical islands in the south where the blossom comes out at the end of January! Either way, the blossom is pretty, but the Hanami parties are what makes this time of year such fun – another chance to Kanpaiiii!

Culture vulture -

One of the most exciting festivals to look forward to this year is the Setouchi Triennial Arts Festival which takes place over 14 of the islands on the Seto Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku including the ‘art island’ of Naoshima. Contemporary art combines with traditional rural island life providing some stunning sculptures and spectacles. The great thing about this festival is that it will cover 108days in total during Spring, Summer and Autumn embracing the different seasons. There are extra ferries and a pass that allows you to travel at your leisure between the islands taking in the art, landscapes and traditional festivals that are due to coincide with the event. Can’t wait to get down to the islands at some point in 2013.

Geek fest –
If you are into anime and manga, you just need to go to Japan. There are plenty of events on in 2013 to give you even more reason to go though. The International anime Fair takes place at the end of March (23-24) showcasing the crème de la crème of Japanese anime. The World cosplay takes place in our home town of Naogya (May 31-June 2) home bringing some really interesting people and outfits from across Japan and the world together. The Tokyo Game Show highlights the latest games and developments in the computer world in September (21-22). Head to Odaiba in Tokyo for the huge Gundam statue and the relatively new Gundam Front museum. Or you could save it for the brand new Shonen Jump theme park featuring characters from ‘One Piece’, ‘Dragon Ball Z’ and more which opens this summer at the brilliant Sunshine City Building in Ikubukero.

These are just a few reasons as to why I would go to Japan in 2013. I haven’t even mentioned the huge summer festivals in Tohoku or the splendid autumn leaves…or even Fuji Rock and the other cool music festivals that go on. After the release of Hugh Jackman’s ‘Wolverine’ filmed largely in Toyko and Keanu Reaves’ remake of ’47 Ronin’ you won’t want anything else other than to head to Japan……unless you wanted to go to Vietnam of course.

Loads more to come on all of that so kongoto mo yoroshiku onegai shimasu!

Filed under: Opinion, Sightseeing, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', 2013 preview, cherry blossom, Culture, Festivals, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Japanese culture, otaku, Setouchi festival, Sightseeing, snow festival, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Bond. James Bond – The mysterious Gunkanjima

Posted on 15 October, 2012 by jimbojapanam

There are many recognised mysteries of the world such as Stonehenge, the Mayan civilisation, the Easter Island statues, the Loch Ness Monster, crop circles and more. One of the lesser-known mysteries though is a small island off Nagasaki called Gunkanjima or ‘Battleship Island’. The island also provides the latest James Bond film, “Skyfall” with a stunning location for Daniel Craig to do his best for Britain.

This 480m x 150m island was home to approximately 5000 people up until 1974 which is when the island and the Mitsubishi owned coal mines that brought people there, were suddenly abandoned…by everyone. The island has been out of bounds since 1974 but in 2009 a boat dock was added allowing paying tourists to get near the island for a glance at the heavily built up island. However, a ‘friend of IJT’ (who shall remain nameless) hired a fisherman to travel to the island in the early hours of the morning to see the island for themselves – true James Bond style.

The intrepid traveller (we shall call them Bond), snapped some sneaky pics from the hospital, the pachinko parlour, onsen and school. Bond also visited apartments which still had washing in sinks, kids toys on the floor and even a bottle of sake with cups lined up ready for pouring in one. It was as though people had left the island in a hurry and there is no indication as to why. Since the adventure, Bond has been told that such actions would have warranted deportation if caught. People in Nagasaki are seemingly uninterested about answering questions on the subject or are perhaps a little cagey.

Why did people leave the island in such a rush?
Why have people not been allowed to visit the island?
Why is the island still standing and the buildings not demolished?

These days you can visit the island which is approximately a 50 minute boat ride from Nagasaki. People are allowed to visit the island for about 45 minutes, but exploration of the island is strictly prohibited because of the dangers provided by the typhoon torn buildings….but is that the real reason??……

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Filed under: Culture, Opinion, Sightseeing, Tours, Travel, Travel Advice | Tagged: 'Japan travel', Battleship island, Culture, Gunkanjim, InsideJapan Tours, James Bond, Japan, Japan trip, Japanese culture, Nasaki, Secret island, Skyfall | 6 Comments »

Northern festival madness

Posted on 25 September, 2012 by jimbojapanam

Japan is not known for doing things by halves. Having developed one of the world’s most technically advanced and super efficient high speed rail networks and taken the experience of going to the toilet to a whole new level it should come as no surprise that when Japan puts on a festival it’s like no other show on earth. Our Mark Johnson reports on his recent trip to Japan which saw him head up to northern Japan between tours to see how they celebrate in Tohoku.

5th August, 2012

I’m wandering the streets of central Aomori (northern Tohoku), it’s 7pm and 32 degrees centigrade and I’m surrounded by a few thousand people lining the streets 5-10 people deep for as far as the eye can see in every direction. Amongst the chatter I can hear distant chants and the looming sound of taiko drums. Welcome to the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, one of the largest and best known festivals in Japan.

Being Japan there is no pushing and shoving and everyone is patiently waiting in anticipation of what it to follow. As the drums roll closer I soon catch a glimpse of the first brightly lit float in the distance edging around the corner. This marks the start of a three hour long parade of the most colourful exotic floats, costumes and festivity and one of the highlights of the festival season in the north.

The intricately decorated floats with imposing demonic faces each the width of the 4 lane street loom high above the spectators whilst the drums and chanting pound through the air creating an electric atmosphere. The floats keep coming and coming until eventually my camera battery dies from lining up too many pictures and taking too much video footage. The drumming is accompanied by flutes, chanting and trance like dancing and the crowd are actively encouraged to join in. The spectacular array of costumes change with every group and every now and then out of nowhere a random Elvis will appear to cheers and laughter.

Many of Japan’s best loved anime characters including Anpanman and Doraemon are represented as well as some of Japan’s biggest brands and sponsors of the event: Asahi, Kirin, 7-11, Panasonic, Hitachi and so on. This year many of the floats carry messages of goodwill to the people of Tohoku, a poignant message in the year following the tsunami and earthquake in 2011.

About Nebuta:

There are many theories surrounding the origin of the festival but the most likely explanation is that it was born out of the Tanabata festival (imported from China in around 755) celebrating the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi who according to the legend were separated by milky way. Tanabata meaning 7th night is celebrated in July or August depending on whether you are using the lunisolar or Gregorian calendar. The giant floats depict scenes to scare off the enemy, take up to a year to build and are decorated with lights and coloured paper. Costs run in to millions of yen and the whole community get involved. As always visitors from overseas are made especially welcome and are invited to join in with the fun. It is even possible to take part in the parade with prior arrangement.

The idea of enduring 30+ degree heat every day for some may seem like hell on earth but for those that are brave enough to visit Japan during the summer months; as well as consistent sunshine, one of the world’s most spectacular displays awaits. Most events are followed by equally impressive fireworks and feature an array of colourful street food ranging from barbequed squid on a stick to octopus dumplings and chocolate bananas. The festival spirit in Japan is something that really can’t be missed during a summer visit.

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The surrounding area hosts several festivals over a two week period (end of July through to beginning of August). As there is so much going on in the area it is quite easy to catch more than one festival during your stay. Hachinohe Sansha Taishai festival is said to be Japan’s biggest float festival and the Neputa festival in Hirosaki with it’s gigantic 22m high floats is equally impressive. Although most of the festival action is at night there are lots of events during the day too. There’s also plenty to see nearby including Hirosaki with it’s beautiful castle, Fujita Gardens (immaculate gardens with a stunning backdrop and tea house) and a walk through the samurai district.

Summer festivals are a great add-on to a group tour or self-guided trip or simply a reason in itself to visit northern Tohoku – one of the lesser visited, but none less impressive areas of Japan.

As we have said throughout this blog, festivals are a great cultural event to experience in Japan. There are thousands of festivals that take place throughout Japan all through the year, but the summer time definitely has more than its fair share.

I thank Mark for sharing this with us and I can’t wait until next year…..first though we have the autumn festivals not to mention the winter ones and then the spring festivals….Japan does love its festivals and so do we!

Filed under: Culture, Events, Sightseeing, Tours, Travel | Tagged: 'Japan travel', 'Nebuta festval', Culture, Festival, Festivals, InsideJapan Tours, Japan, Japanese culture, Nebuta, Sightseeing, Tohoku | 2 Comments »

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