Traveling in Japan 2/2

My last post was about ways of spending free time in Japan. Naturally, those kind of entertainments are quite expensive to try all of them, but in my opinion it is worth to try at least one to feel the spirit of this country and to get closer to Japanese atmosphere. Today I want to add some information how to pass your time in Japan. If you are going to Japan first time- Honshu is the best choice. Of course passing seven days in Tokyo will not do. Well if someone is just passing by in Japan or do not have time or money to leave Tokyo I recommend small, one-day trips (Yokohama, Kamakura, a bit further Nikko). In case when someone want to see a little more of Japanese land 10 to14 days, Honshu + JR Pass will do :). Write down every city that you are interest in (the list should include cities like : Tokyo, Kyoto, Kamakura, Nara, Nikko, Hiroshima/Miyajima, Osaka), but also try to add some smaller cities, for example- Inuyama, Kurashiki, Matsue (if you will have free time). In smaller cities you can run away from other tourists (foreigners of course), slow down for a second and enjoy tranquillity, see the relics of the past, wooden old cities not consumed entirely by the modernity. In Japan you can find a lot of temples. Firstly everyone is amazed but after tenth your morale will drop slightly :), so I recommend a balanced program of sightseeing. Try to diversify the program by adding castles to visit (Himeji, Matsumoto, Osaka, Nagoya), beautiful gardens to rest in (everywhere!- they love gardens, but the Three Great Gardens in Japan are meant to be the most beautiful ones- Kenroku-en in Kanazawa, where I am going this year :), Koraku-en in Okayama, where I was 2 years ago and Kairaku-en in Mito). Less known tourist destinations : Kurashiki, Okayama, Kanazawa, Takayama, Ise (not much to see but quite nice atmosphere) and lot more. Japan is not only temples, castles, museums and gardens! I encourage to visit one of the national parks, try one of hiking trails (Kamakura) or go to walk on mountain (not climb! I mean to enjoy a bit walking not to exploring the peak of Mount Everest or something ;)- Mount Misen, Koya-san). 

Traveling in Japan 1/2

Hello! Today I want to add some informations about how actually split your time in Japan. I already said that couple times, but I guess I will write it one more time- I STRONGLY recommend traveling in Japan without an organized trip. Why? Organized trip costs a lot more and you are forced to do what the rest of the group does, and of course it is really hard to satisfy everyone. Japan is rather an expensive country, but if someone likes this kind of shows and has money for that you can always try something more than just see sighting :) ->

1. Sleeping in Ryokan (I had already mentioned Ryokan in the last post but here I want to do it one more time)

Not everybody is suited to sleep in Ryokan. For some futons are not comfortable to sleep on, for others the main problem is the shared baths. Spending a night at Ryokan, it is better to choose a classic one with beautiful view and charming atmosphere (Nara, Kyoto or Koya-san). I strongly recommend the last one, the well-know mountain inhabited by monks. 

2. Visit Onsen or try Sento- the first one is a hot spring (in most of causes at the open air) and the second is a traditional Japanese bath (shared, sometimes coeducational). 
Here can find a list of fine Onsen- ONSEN

3. Wear kimono- maybe kimono is not the most comfortable clothes, but you can get some unforgettable memories and awesome photos. There are a lot of fine places around Kiyomizu-dera (temple), more specifically at Higashiyama district filled with historical monuments and rental- shops with kimono. (Note: this is rather an expensive pleasure, about 5 000 yen with hairstyle at least)

4. Matcha ceremony- this unique tea ceremony is really interesting one and really important in the Japanese history. For ceremony it is necessary to have a grand master that took a training in the field of making a tea.

No jokes here! Matcha ceremony for beginners can be hard to understand and it requires a particular knowledge. Ia addition- Matcha tastes differently than the green tea we know so for most of people the taste is ekhm... quite intensive... :)

5. Kabuki- It is a classical Japanese drama, that is known as the most traditional of Japanese plays. Kabuki has a wide history and the well-knowns theaters are in Tokyo and Kyoto and is inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Heritage Lists. I had never been myself at the Kabuki performance but from what I heard it is better to know somebody in Japan in order to buy tickets earlier. :) In the most of the causes the women roles are played also by men.