Japan
Japan - Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Miyajima, Hiroshima, Nara, Inari - Aug 08 - 22, 2023
Getting from Narita International Airport to Tokyo Station
There are many
ways to travel to downtown Tokyo, by public transportation, train or bus.
Keisei Skyliner Express train is the fastest, the trip is about 40 min and
costs Y2,570 one way. The trip ends at Ueno Station. Second fastest is Narita
Express train, about 50 min trip to downtown stations like Tokyo, Shibuya or
Shinagawa and the cost is Y3,070. We looked for the cheapest option so we
travelled by the airport bus TYO-NRT, it took 62 min but only cost us Y1,300
per person to Tokyo Station. The bus leaves from the bus platforms in front of
Narita Airport and the final stop is at Tokyo Station Nihonbashi Gate. To get
from Tokyo to Narita we took the bus from Tokyo Station Yaesu South Gate,
platform 7,8 or 9. The buses run every 10 min and tickets for these buses at
Narita can only be purchased at ticket counters which are usually located
inside the airport, close to the platforms. When at Tokyo Station the tickets
can be purchased inside the station, at vending machines close to the bus
platforms.
Top attractions and best things to do in Tokyo
Originally a
fishing village called Edo, Tokyo is now one of the biggest capitals in the
world with a population of almost 40 million people. Tokyo is a city of
contrasts, where traditional meets modern, where you find temples and shrines
close to lighted skyscrapers, lots of museums and many large parks and gardens.
Visiting Tokyo is like running a marathon, you need to prepare well in advance,
have a lot of stamina and be mentally strong. Being such a huge city, the
attractions are spread around, so it will require using public transportation and
walking at the same time while dealing with a very hot, humid weather if you
travel in summer like us. There are so many attractions to see, here are the
ones we chose to visit:
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
We did not know
too much about Tokyo before our visit but we did hear about Shibuya Scramble Crossing as
being the busiest intersection in the world. Hundreds of people cross at the
same time, in all directions and somehow still being able to dodge each other.
While here we also took a pic of Hatchiko Dog Statue, the faithful Akita dog who waited at Shibuya Station every day
for his master, even after his death. The intersection is surrounded by buildings with electronic billboards resembling Times Square in New York.
From Shibuya
crossing we went to the shrine passing through Yoyogi Park, a great park with large green lawns, ponds and
forested areas.
Meiji Jingu is a
Shinto shrine dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. To get to the
main building we walked on a long gravel path and passed through wooden torri
(entrance) gates. Before passing through the final gate visitors pour water
over their hands, as purity is a creed of Shintoism.
It is a twin
tower building with two observation decks. The building is popular with tourists
because is free and offers nice panorama views of Tokyo from a height of 202
meters.
Located near
Shinjuku Station, Omoide Yokocho is a bar district of narrow alleys with food
and drinks stalls that offers a glimpse into the past dating back to post war
period. Almost nothing is open during the day but very busy in the evening.
Located in
Shinjuku, this is Tokyo’s biggest red-light district. Regardless being a very
crowded area with host and hostess clubs, love hotels, shops, restaurants and a
bustling nightlife it is still considered very safe to visit and while in the
area you can also take a peak at the Godzilla Head, a landmark in
Kabukicho which can be visited from Hotel Gracery Shinzuku’s Godzilla Terrace
that can be reached by taking the elevator to 8th Floor to the
coffee shop there when is open.
This bar hopping
area is spread on about six very narrow alleys with over 200 small bars that
sometimes can only accommodate few people. Most of the bars usually open only
after 8-9 pm so if you visit during the day you will find empty streets and
closed doors.
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden
Close to
Shinjuku Station, this park was originally an imperial garden but opened to the
public after Second World War. There is an entrance fee of Y500 but is really
worth it, the garden is so beautiful, with a lot of dedicated gardens, tea houses, a big glasshouse, ponds that offer a serene atmosphere compared to the busy streets or the busy
subway system.
This pedestrian
street is a very busy colourful shopping street, lined up with lots of fashion
boutiques, mostly for teenagers taste, restaurants, sweets shops, anime and funky items
shops, souvenirs.
Tokyo Station is
the largest and the busiest train terminal in Japan and more. It is an entire
complex of buildings, malls, major bus terminal and an extensive system of
underground passages merging with commercial buildings and shopping centres
nicknamed Tokyo Station City. The original red brick building station is
located in Marunouchi business district near the Imperial Palace grounds and it
was opened in 1914. The original building was completely destroyed during WW2
but the replacement station was renovated in 2012 to resemble the original
building’s great architecture.
One of the best
green spaces in Tokyo, the park is located in front of Imperial Palace. While
walking you can enjoy the Kuromatsu pine trees, rest on a bench or enjoy the
historical castle gates and moats on one side and the skyscraper panorama on
the other side.
We could not
visit the Imperial Palace because there is a limit on the maximum number of
participants to a tour and you need to pre register well in advance for it.
Even though we tried two months in advance they were fully booked. But we
visited the Imperial Palace East Gardens which were free of charge. The gardens
were full of things to see, from nice flower gardens dating in Edo period, tea
houses, a museum and we even came across the foundations of the former castle
tower destroyed in a fire. In the summer is extremely hot and there are not too
many trees to use for shade so having an umbrella is a must.
Budokan
Nippon Budokan
is an indoor multi purpose arena originally built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics
for martial arts events. Now the arena is more famous as a world-famous venue
for music concerts and we really wanted to see it because some of our favourite
rock bands played here along time. Starting in 1966 with the
Beatles, a lot of performers had concerts here and “Live at Budokan” recordings
because it was considered that if you can fill the Budokan is a symbol of
success. Eric Clapton has the record for most performances by a foreign
performer, having played the venue 86 times.
Located on a
hill in the center of Tokyo and surrounded by tall office buildings, this
Shinto Shrine is like an oasis of tradition in the middle of two business
districts, Akasaka and Nagatacho. The main deity worshipped is the god of Mount
Hiei whose divine messenger is the monkey so we could see monkey statues on the
grounds. Its green copper roof pavilions and the path of torri gates add to the
beauty of the place.
An uniquely
designed building, with undulating glass walls, the Art Center is one of the
largest exhibition places in Japan but one that does not have a permanent
collection and is used only for temporary exhibitions sponsored by other
organizations, some free and some requiring an entrance ticket.
This impressive
54 floors skyscraper is a building complex with a mixed use, with restaurants,
retail shops, a free observation deck, an art museum and a cinema. It was interesting to find here the big spider Maman sculpture which "twin sister" we also seen in Ottawa, Canada.
With a height of
almost 333 meters the tower was built as a symbol of post war recovery in 1958.
At the time of construction, it was the tallest tower in the world, even higher
than Eiffel Tower used as inspiration. The tower has two observation decks, the
Main Deck at 150 meters for Y1,200 and the Top Deck Tour that includes 150
meter and 250 meters and costs Y3,000. It is said that on a good clear day you
could even see Mt Fuji from here. The tower is painted in orange and white to
conform with air safety regulations stating that buildings over a certain
height must be painted in these colours.
Close to Tokyo
Tower, Zozo-ji Temple is an over 600 years old Buddhist temple. As all the
other temples, among its structures there is a Main Hall, a Treasury Gallery, a
Bell Tower, a spectacular main entrance gate. What makes it more recognizable
though is the Unborn Children Garden at the cemetery where there are rows of
stone statues of children representing unborn children. Parents can choose a
statue and decorate it with small clothing and toys and a gift for Jizo, the
guardian of unborn children to ensure they are brought to the afterlife.
Located near
Tokyo Station and Ginza area, under the tracks of JR Yamanote line, this Tokyo
neighbourhood is known for shopping, entertainment and dining. When eating
here, same as everywhere in Japan, you have to be aware of the “cover charge” you
might have to pay. Sometimes called table charge or seating charge is in a way the
synonym of western tipping. The charge is per person and includes a mandatory
small dish of food. We had some delicious “gyoza”, Japanese pan-fried
dumplings, but we had to pay also for a little piece of tofu that was double
the price of our main dish. The fee varies from place to place and of course
you can ask before you enter if they have it.
Featuring curves
of steel and glass this multi-purpose exhibition center is shaped as an
elongated boat. We visited the Forum mostly for its great architecture.
This is a must
see attraction when visiting Odaiba and Tokyo Bay area. The almost 20 meters
tall statue is a model of an RX-O Unicorn Gundam from the popular Mobile Suit
Gundam anime franchise. Located in front of the Diver City Shopping Mall this
model undergoes a transformation four times a day accompanied by a display of
lights.
Located in
southern part of Tokyo, this is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay that can be
reached either by bus or by train on the Yurikamone line. It is a futuristic
entertainment and residential area with lots of shopping malls, museums,
uniquely designed buildings and strange landmarks like the Unicorn Gundam or
Statue of Liberty.
Tokyo Big Sight Convention Center
The Convention
center is the largest international exhibition center in Japan. Shaped as four
inversed pyramids this gigantic building is home to several anime and manga
events and trade shows throughout the year.
Built to
commemorate the good relationships between Japan and France, this replica of
the famous New York Statue of Liberty still attracts a lot of tourists and is
impressive to see up close.
Tokyo Bay Waterfront
Once you arrive
in Odaiba, Tokyo Bay Waterfront is close to the train station. Here we took a
walk along the promenade deck enjoying the views of Rainbow Bridge in the
background and then we strolled on Odaiba Beach on our way to Daiba Park, a historic site of an old fortified island
where you can see the ruins of Daiba (gun battery) made by the Edo Shogunate in
Edo period.
Ginza Area
Its main street
Chuo Dori Avenue houses some of Tokyo’s original department stores, high end
shopping places and Michelin-starred restaurants. While not for everybody’s
budget, anybody could enjoy a stroll on this boulevard being dazed by the
architecture and the glamour displayed by some of the shops either during the
day or at night.
Tamioka Hachimangu Shrine
Tamioka Hachimangu Shrine is a large Shinto shrine dedicated to the god of war. Every
year in summer the shrine holds the Fukagawa Festival or water-splashing
festival and we were lucky to witness the event. The festival is one the big
three Shinto festivals in Tokyo. Over 50 mikoshi (portable shrines) are carried
around in the neighbourhood while everybody from local people to firefighters
happily throw water to the mikoshi and the bearers to purify them. While
carrying the shrines the carriers chant “Wasshoi” in unison, a chant to
synchronize their movements, encourage each other and to gather strength to
carry the heavy load.
Nicknamed the
Electric Town, this district is the place to shop for high-tech gadgets,
electronics, video games, anime shops, toys, souvenirs whether in the stores or
at the unique vending machines. It is also the place to have great experiences
such as Go-Kart, driving through the city while disguised as your favourite
anime/game character or enter one of the game centers and watch the hard core
gamers playing on the arcade machines. The area is even more spectacular at
night when all the lights are on and becomes lively and crowded with locals and
tourists.
With more than
400 stores selling everything from clothes, shoes, prepared food, fruits, this
street is one of the most famous open-air markets in Tokyo. While here we tried
the famous Takoyaki (octopus balls) with dried bonito flakes on top.
Ueno Park is the
first public park in Japan and we spent a lot of time here as it offers a lot
of attractions. It is a nice green place to take a stroll, visit the pond with
its gigantic lotus flowers or visit Gojoten Shrine, an old shrine with a tunnel
of torri gates. Ueno Zoo and four big museums are also located here so the
place is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. We happened to be
there when the National Plum Wine Festival was held for the first time in four
years, an event where you can buy tokens to sample various drinks and wines.
Located in Ueno
Park, the museum is home to art and artifacts from across Asia and also owns
the largest Japanese collection displayed in six exhibition buildings. The
museum has also a Garden with rare plants and historic teahouses. The cost is
only Y1,000 per person. Being the oldest and largest museum in Japan we easily spent
over 3 hours here.
This great
Shinto shrine is holding the famous Bunkyo Azalea Festival each year in April.
We visited in August but still enjoyed the rich coloured structures, the old
wooden terrace and the vermillion torri gates that form a tunnel we could walk
through.
While in the
Ueno Park area we took a short walk for a peak at some of the old buildings of
University of Tokyo, first Imperial University and the most prestigious in
Japan.
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center
It is a great
place to start exploring Asakusa area. Located across the Kaminarimon Gate, it
offers tourist information and has a nice observation deck on its 8th
Floor that offers great views of the famous Nakamise-dori shopping street and
of the Senso-ji Temple.
At 634 meters,
Tokyo Skytree is the highest free-standing broadcasting tower in the world. The
admission fee is Y2,100 for Tembo Deck (350m) and Y3,100 for a combo ticket
that includes also Tembo Gallera (450m). In the evening the Skytree has an
illumination schedule, visible even from a distance.
Senso-ji Temple
is the oldest Buddhist Temple in Tokyo.Located in Asakusa district, the temple
is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy. Its large red
Kaminarimon Gate lantern, the five-storied pagoda, the Main Hall of Sensoji and
the Denboin Garden adjacent to it, make this temple one of the most
photographed and busiest attraction in Tokyo.
This shopping
street leading to Senso-ji Temple is lined up with many shops selling
souvenirs, traditional Japanese items and sweet and savoury treats and is
always crowded with tourists and locals.
Tokyo random
Day trip to Hakone from Tokyo
We planned the
trip to Hakone for a cruise with one of the Pirate Ships, for a ride with
Hakone Ropeway and in the hope to have a peak to Mount Fuji from the ship. Unfortunately,
the weather was rainy and cloudy and we could not see Mt Fuji and we decided
not to go with the Hakone Ropeway because there was no visibility. But we
enjoyed our cruise on Lake Ashi very much.
To get to Hakone
we took the Shinkansen train to Odawara first. The trip took half an hour and
the cost is Y3,500 one way but the trip was covered by our JR Passes. At
Odawara Station we tried to find a Bus ticket counter but we could not so we followed
the signs for the bus and walked to the Odawara Bus platform 4 which we researched to
be the bus stop for the Hakone Tozan Bus that took us to Togendai Port. We
asked the driver if we can pay on the bus with cash and it was ok. When we got
on the bus we picked up a ticket from a small machine next t o the driver with the bus stop number printed on the ticket, in our case “zero”. Then we exchanged our banknote at the exchanging machine beside the driver. The
instructions on the bus were that you exchange cash coins and paper before hand
as you can only pay the fare with exact amount. The fare is paid when you get
off the bus. The route had 61 stops and it takes 1 hour an 15 minutes.
In Togendai we
got into the station and purchased tickets for the sightseeing cruise. A round
trip ticket that takes you also to Hakonemachi Port and Motohakone Port was
Y2,220 and was about 30 minutes one way. At present there are 3 design pirate
ships: Royal II, Victory and Queen Ashinoko. We embarked on Queen Ashinoko and
were very impressed with the design of luxury and elegance. Even if it was rainy,
the Hakone scenery, the mist in the air, the low-level clouds spread among the
hills and the ship passing the lake top red torri gate made the trip a special
one, a trip that we will recommend to everybody. We got off the boat in Hakone
and explored a bit the port and walked along the lake and then returned on
board of a different ship.
We took the bus
back from Togendai to Odawara and stopped there before going to Tokyo because
we wanted to visit Odawara Castle which was a short walking distance from the
station. The Castle was in the past the center of power for a large part of
central Japan during the Hojo Clan and was the site of many historic battles.
The entry fee to the castle and also to see the Samurai Museum was Y610. The
first four floors of the castle display the history of the castle from Edo
period to present. From the observation deck on the top floor we could have a
panoramic view of the city.
Must see attractions in Kyoto
Kyoto is
considered the centre of traditional culture and is famous for its many
Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, traditional houses and dining and also for
geishas often found in Gion district. Many historic temples and gardens have
been designated UNESCO World Heritage sites. Kyoto was the capital of Japan for
more than 1,000 years and this is reflected in its unique cultural institutions
such as schools of tea ceremony, flower arranging (ikebana) or traditional
dancing.
After we checked
in to our hotel we went out to explore the neighbourhood and came upon this
Buddhist temple that was very close to the hotel. The temple has huge buildings
and one of them is considered to be the largest wooden halls in the world.
Situated on
small mountain with very nice views of the city, this ancient Buddhist temple
is one of the most popular temples in Kyoto and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ninenzaka, Sannenzaka and Ishibei-koji alleys
These streets
that lead to Kiyomizu-dera Temple are lined up with lots of shops selling
souvenirs, snacks or traditional Japanese items. The name of Ninen-zaka and
Sannen-zaka mean “Two Year Hill” and “Three Year Hill” and refer to the ancient
imperial years when they were constructed. Walking down these historic narrow
alleys with old wooden houses, transport you back in time and give the feeling
of what Japan might have looked like in the past.
A Buddhist
temple with a gigantic statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, the place also
houses a war memorial commemorating the peoples that died in WW2 in the Pacific
War.
This bright
coloured Shinto shrine, has a huge granite torri gate, a prayer hall with lots
of hanging lanters, and a path leading to Gion lined up with red lanterns that
are illuminated at night, making it one of the most beautiful shrines in Kyoto.
Considered the guardian shrine of Gion district, a lot of cultural performances
take place here throughout the year especially those perform by the geishas.
Gion is a famous
entertainment and geisha quarter in Kyoto. In the 18th century this
area was Kyoto’ s largest pleasure district. Now you can spot hostesses dressed
up in colourful kimonos, especially in the evening.
Nishiki Market
is the largest traditional food market located downtown Kyoto. Built with covered
pedestrian arcade lanes the market is lined up with lots of shops selling
souvenirs, foods, produce, seafood. It is the place where some of the famous
restaurants come to do their shopping for food and is full of wonderful snacks
that entice you while walking up and down the lanes. This was the place where we sampled for the first time food from a Michelin supervised restaurant, delicious indeed.
A short distance
from Kyoto by train, the park is on Mt Arashiyama and is home to over 120 wild
Japanese macaque monkeys also called snow monkeys. To get there we took the
train from Kyoto Station to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station, on the JR Sagano line.
The trip takes about 20 minutes and the cost is Y240 one way per person, but
was included in the JR Pass. The train usually departs from the platforms 31,
32 and 33. From the station we walked about 1.2 km over the Toketu-kyo bridge,
about 15 minutes to the park’s entrance gate. One ticket costs Y600 and they
only accept cash. From the gate, it is a small hike (an altitude of 160 meters)
to the top where you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Kyoto and of course the
snow monkeys roaming free in their natural environment, eating, playing or
having a brawl. It was one of the Japan attractions I wanted to see the most,
did not know what exactly to expect but it was such an awesome experience, more
that I could imagine before going there.
Being already in
Arashiyama, we also visited the Bamboo Grove. It was in walking distance from
the Monkey Park and a free attraction. The forest has few pathways for visitors
and is lined up with tall bamboo boughs.
Arashiyama
Arashiyama was
designated as an Historic Site and the entire region is designated by the
Japanese government as a Place of Scenic Beauty. It has so many attractions
close distance from each other, a beautiful scenery, famous temples and shrines,
streets buzzing with tourists and rickshaws, but also modern installations like
Arashiyama Kimono Forest near Arashiyama Station.
This Buddhist
temple is one of the two head temples of Jodo Shinshu sect, both called
Hoganji, Nishi Hongwanji being the western temple and Higashi Hongan-ji being
the eastern temple. Jodo Shinshu is the main and common form of Buddhism in
Japan.
Kyoto random
Day trip to Osaka from Kyoto
Because it is
only 15 minutes away by Shinkansen (bullet) train to get to Osaka we used this
opportunity to visit the city as a day trip from Kyoto.
The ticket costs Y1,450 one way per person and it was covered by JR Pass so no extra cost for us. Upon
our arrival at Shin-Osaka Station, we purchased the Osaka 1-Day Metro Pass
knowing we will have to visit attractions scattered throughout Osaka. The cost
of one pass was Y820 and it also offers discounts to some of the Osaka
attractions.
Osaka is a port
city on the Japanese island of Honshu. A city of merchants in the past, Osaka
is known for its food culture, neon lights and nightlife. It is a city packed
with attractions, shopping streets and markets.
Best things to do in Osaka
We got to Osaka
Castle by metro and arrived there at the opening time which was better because
we could take better pictures avoiding the big tourist groups and the crowds
that visit the place daily. The castle was built by Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a
powerful feudal lord and warrior in the 15th century. A visit to the
beautiful five-storied castle could include visiting the local museum for Y600
a ticket and strolling through the surrounding Osaka Castle Park.
The building is
300 meters high and has 62 floors with an observation deck on the top floors that
offers 360-degrees views of Osaka. A ticket for the Observation Deck costs
Y1,800. The other floors are used for offices, a hotel, department stores and
at least three floors dedicated to dining which make it a very busy place all
day long.
This unique
district’s streets are filled with very colourful and retro shop displays and
neon lights and it is centered around Osaka Tower or Tsutenkaku Tower, a symbol
of Shinsekai area with an observation deck on top offering views of the entire
neighbourhood. With old pachinko and mahjong places and cheap shops and
eateries, the place attracts lots of locals and tourists.
Similar to
Tokyo’s Akihabara district, Nipponbashi Den Den Town is Osaka’s district for
high-tech electronics, video games, anime, manga and pop culture.
Namba Parks is a
beautiful complex of shops and restaurants, the largest cinema complex in Osaka
and a beautiful rooftop garden all displayed in a unique architectural concept.
One of the
largest markets in western Japan and an Osaka landmark, Kuromon Ichiba Market
is nicknamed “Osaka Kitchen” because locals and restaurant chefs come here for
their supplies. The variety of food products and the many food stalls selling
authentic Japanese snacks make the market a very crowded place making it
sometimes very difficult to walk through.
Named after the
over 400 years old canal, Dotonbori-gawa, this is an area with pedestrian
streets and walkways along the canal and in the neighbourhood, full of
billboards with illuminated signage, filled with lots of restaurants, theatres,
shops and people walking by in all directions, shopping, eating or taking
pictures. One of the popular tourist spots along the canal is the Glico Running
Man sign, the symbol of the confectioner Glico based in Osaka. While walking in
the area we tried Osaka’s 10-Yen coin cheesy pancake, a snack you cannot just
walk by and not getting it.
This small
temple lies between Namba Parks and Dotonbori and is most famous for its
moss-covered statue of Fudo Myo-o, furious god. The story behind it is that in
the past a lady made a wish here while throwing water over the statue. Because
of that now everybody throws water on it, this being the reason why the statue
is covered in moss.
Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping street
This shopping street is a covered arcade that houses a lot of retailers displaying clothing, chemists, restaurants, cafes, boutiques. Shinsaibashi street is about 600 meters but together with the connecting shopping streets adds up to almost two kilometers of shopping heaven.
Day trip to Miyajima and Hiroshima from Kyoto
Miyajima is a
small island half an hour away from Hiroshima and a nice side trip when
visiting Hiroshima. To get there we travelled first by Shinkansen train from
Kyoto to Hiroshima, the trip took about two hours and the cost is Y11,300 one
way but for us covered by JR Pass. From Hiroshima Station we took a local train on the
JR Sanyo line to Miyajimaguchi Station, the ride was 25 minutes and the cost
Y420 one way, again covered by JR Pass. Being on an island we had to take the
ferry which was a short walk straight away, just about 200 meters to the
Miyajima Ferry. It is a 10 minutes ride and the cost is Y180 one way, also
covered by JR Pass.
Miyajima is a charming island famous for its Grand Torri Gate which seems like floating on water when the tide is high. The
Big Torri Gate is part of the Shinto Itsukushima Shrine, its buildings also
built over water. We walked to the Gate along the water and were “welcomed” by
deers, wandering everywhere among the tourists. There are many attractions on
the island, one of them being Sensojaku Hall or the “pavilion of 1,000 mats”, a
term used to describe how big the hall is. Adjacent to it, there is a bright
coloured five-storied pagoda, more than 600 years old.
On our way back
to the Miyajoma ferry we took a different route walking along this busy shopping street
filled with souvenir shops, ice cream and candy shops, wooden crafts or restaurants.
We also savoured some local delicacies such as breaded oysters, grilled oysters
and the delicious local snack, Momiji Manjyu, a sweet cake filled with red bean
paste or other flavours, shaped like a maple leaf.
Hiroshima Top Tourist Attractions
Hiroshima is a
city located on the Honshu Island that was destroyed by the first ever atomic bomb
during World War II that killed hundreds of thousands of people and injured
even more. Despite these tragic events, Hiroshima bounced back and now is a
thriving city with double the pre-war population and called the City of Peace.
Here are some of the must see attractions in Hiroshima:
The Castle,
established by Mori Terumoto, a feudal overlord in the 15th century,
changed hands throughout history to different feudal lords and after the
abolition of feudal domains served as the Imperial General Headquarter during
the Sino-Japanese war. The castle was destroyed by the atomic bomb and the
present tower is a reconstruction used for historic artifacts exhibitions.
Hiroshima Castle’s Ninomaru ruins
Within Hiroshima
Castle’ boundaries there are some ruins and few restored buildings of Ninomaru
where visitors can enter and view exhibits about the reconstruction.
This old
eucalyptus tree that grows in the ruins of Hiroshima Castle was only 740 meters away from ground zero when Hiroshima was bombed but somehow the tree survived.
The Atomic Bomb
Dome is the ruins of bare steel framework of what used to be Hiroshima
Prefecture Promotion Hall. On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am, the atomic bomb was
dropped and the building which was only 160 meters from hypocenter was
seriously impacted by the initial blast and the heat rays. Each year at the
exact time the atomic bomb was dropped, a memorial service is held in Memorial
Park as a reminder to pray for world peace.
The Bell of Peace stands as a symbol of the movement against war and nuclear weapons. It also
features the atomic energy symbol on the panel where the bell is struck, to
symbolize the call to abolish nuclear weapons. A lotus pond surrounds the Peace
Bell a prayer to those that lost their lives. Visitors are encouraged to toll the bell for peace.
As part of the
monuments standing in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Cenotaph
holds the names of all the people killed by the bomb and it was one of the first
memorial monuments in the Park. The Cenotaph is aligned to frame the Peace
Flame and the Atomic Bomb Dome. Also in the park stands the Hiroshima Peace
Clock Tower, a tower made of 3 twisted iron pillars with a spherical clock
facing three directions. The clock rings every day at 8:15 as a call out to the
world for “No more Hiroshima”.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
A visit to the
Hiroshima Museum is a sobering experience that feels your heart with sadness.
The entry fee is a symbolic Y400, there is a long line to get inside but it moves fast.
The museum displays A-bombed artifacts, victim’s belongings, testimonies and
related materials and conveys the same message to the world over and over
again, “No more Hiroshimas”
Day trip to Nara Park and Inari Taisha Temple from
Kyoto
Nara is an
historic city and was Japan’s capital in the year 710. The city has many
temples and shrines but is mostly known for its Nara Park, the site
of Todai-ji Temple where over 1,200 sika deers roam freely and are considered a
national treasure. To get to Nara we took a local train from Kyoto, on the JR
Nara Line. It took 70 minutes as the local trains stop at every station and
there are 21 stations. The ticket cost is Y720 one way, covered by JR Pass.
Nara Park is packed with shops and vendors selling souvenirs, snacks and deer crackers that tourists buy to feed the deer for rewarding bows. Although a learned behaviour, it will most likely happen if you find single deers and not being swarmed by a group.
We visited this
temple on our way back from Nara Park because was on the same train line. We
just got off to Inari Station and from the station the Temple was a short walk
away. Inari Taisha Temple is a Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto, dedicated to
Inari, the Shinto god of rice. The temple is famous for the thousands of vermillion
torri gates, sometimes set in rows looking like tunnels, all leading to Mt. Inari which is 233 meters above sea level. The hike to the top takes about 2
hours depending how physically fit you are.
Travelling in Japan by public transportation
Japan has an
efficient transportation system so you could travel all over the country using
public transportation, which is safe, comfortable, reliable and not that expensive.
JR Pass
As a tourist,
depending how many days you are spending in Japan, you could take advantage of
the Japan Rail Pass. These passes can be purchased online from affiliated
vendors found all over the world or in Japan at designated JR offices. These passes are available only
for temporary visitors (tourists) so we needed to ask specifically for a
Temporary Visa stamp or sticker in our passports when we passed through
Immigration. We purchased our Passes online, before our trip, from Nippon
Travel Agency Vancouver. They sent us the Exchange Orders for the 7-Day JR Passes and we
paid Y44,810 for each, which was about CAD 297 for one pass. The Exchange
Orders needed to be exchanged for the real JR Passes when we arrived in Japan
at any JR Travel Service Center in the airports or at designated offices in
Japan such as metro stations or tourist information centers. All we needed was
to show our passports and to decide on the Activation date, meaning the first
date when the JR Pass will be valid. The Passes give you unlimited rides and are
valid on all JR Shinkansen “bullet” trains, (except Nozomi or Mizuho) and the other JR trains. They are
also valid on the JR local bus lines, on the Tokyo Metro JR Yamanote Line and
on the Miyajima ferry. Even though they seemed expensive at first, we saved a
lot by using them everywhere in our trips throughout Japan. We just needed to
group these trips to be within the 7-day period.
Metro (subway) system
Given the large
distances we covered daily in Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka, even though we walked more
than 20 km a day, we had to use also Metro passes which are sold as 24-hour,
48-Hour or 72-Hour and have discounted prices only for tourists. They
are sold in Tokyo at designated Metro Pass Offices where we had to present our
passports for the purchase. In Osaka we got our 24-Hour Pass at the ticket vending
machine. The Metro system is extensive but easy to use, the lines are coloured
and the stations numbered, we just needed to know the name of the station where we wanted to
get off and the direction of the trip.
An important
thing to know when using public transportation in Japan is to respect the unwritten rules but followed by locals such as
waiting in line for boarding the train, metro or bus, not talking out
loud, not eating or drinking while travelling or not taking off your backpack in a crowded train. These rules are just common sense and should be applied everywhere in the world.
We chose our
hotels based on our travel plans to be close to Tokyo Station and Kyoto
Station. This way was easier for us in the mornings not to have to walk too
long to the train station. In Tokyo we stayed at Almont Inn Nihonbashi and in
Kyoto to Hokke Club Hotel. We were very pleased with the rooms, had breakfast
included in Tokyo, slippers, robes, free tea, coffee or juices and lots of
cosmetic and toiletries items to both of them. The rooms were the smallest we
ever stayed in but we expected them to be so in Japan and for the decent prices
we paid, around CAD 90 per night. The rooms were very clean
and everything was in perfect working condition.
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