Why visit Japan?
Japan is an island country in the Eastern part of Asia in the Pacific Ocean. Known as the “Land of the Rising Sun”, Japan is a country where the past meets the future – a land of ancient traditions mingling and co-existing with modern fashion and trends.
I can’t get over the fact that how amazingly polite people are in Japan. From the first email interaction to the stay there, this was common thing across every place in Japan. For someone very used to chaos, this was a change and a very welcome one. Besides, people were going out of the way to help a vegetarian enjoy the Japan experience. Language can never be a barrier if one decides to keep it at bay. And where best to witness it than in Japan. Courtesy and helpfulness is ingrained in Japanese. Given my obsession for extra planning, and non-belief in “go with the flow”, I had planned an itinerary, but to be honest, every experience in Japan left me wanting more.
Japan is a country I have always read and talked about for different reasons, 6000 plus islands, Sumo wrestlers, leaders in technology, automobiles and Samurai. A country known for being stickler for processes & Hi-tech life surprised me with the historic Temples, traditional art forms, Lavender Farms (I was late for the Cherry Blossom), the Hot springs and of course the Sake (Rice wine).
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How can I miss the Cat Cafes and Cat parks where you can meet these cute and interesting creatures, though I don’t think they found me equally interesting I can go on and on about the Bullet train ride, but one has to get onto the train to understand this… While I could not travel across Japan, I definitely plan to travel to this country one more time and stay there for a longer period… then I will try to go with the flow. I have tried to chronicle my experience in Japan and have suggested a few shorter modules also. Come Beyonder and get to know this country a little more.
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Japan Experiences
october, 2024
Best places to visit in Japan
Tokyo is the financial centre and the capital of Japan – intensely cosmopolitan!
Yokohama – A city with its own international port to the south of Tokyo.
”More(+)” Kamakura – This ancient city with its temples and shrines, was once the power house of Japan in the 13th and 14th centuries Himeji is home to the finest surviving castle and Kokoen Garden of Japan Kanazawa is a historic city located on the west coast of Japan. Kyoto – With many ancient Buddhist temples and gardens, Kyoto is the ancient capital and cultural heart of the country. Hiroshima – Apart form the bombing, Hiroshima is a large city port with much to explore Nara – The first capital of United Japan, this is home to many Buddhist temples, shrines, gardens and historical buildings. Nagasaki is an ancient port city with a unique Dutch and Chinese influence. Sendai, known as the “City of Forests” for its trees and wooded hills ”Less(-)”
Must have experiences in Japan
- Wander through the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest on an enchanting pathway through a bamboo forest – out from the city into a fairy tale land.
- Be mesmerized by Fushimi Inari Shrine especially if you’ve seen “Memoirs of a Geisha” – the famous orange gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine.
- View Kinkaku-ji Temple at sunset – quite a sight with an exterior that is completely covered in gold leaf (hence the name Golden Temple) that makes a stunning reflection in the lake beside it.
- Glimpse Mount Fuji – Stunning views through a cable car ride on a clear day, if luck is by your side!
- See the adorable “Snow Monkeys” at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- Cross Shibuya Intersection where five intersections converge is known famously as “the scramble” and should be a must on your Tokyo to do list.
- See a Japanese Wedding at Meiji Shrine, where the forested grounds make for a lovely escape from the city’s bustling streets
Things to note
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What our Japan Travellers Say
Just want to drop a few lines to thank you for all your assistance during our recent trip to Japan. We all had a wonderful time. From day one at Kyoto all the way till Tokyo, we were filled with excitement and memories to last a lifetime.
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We will always cherish the memories we made while visiting Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Sapporo, Hakone and Tokyo.” The convenience of being met everywhere and having everything taken care of, not having to worry about where we had to go and how to get there in a foreign country where language is a big issue, made a big difference. From planning the itinerary, considering our time constraint and likes and dislikes,it was crafted keeping us in mind. We would also like to say Thank You to all the guides who toured with us.
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