My Favorite Holiday Spots

Hometown

Tochigi is  my hometown in Japan, since it is where our family and relatives live. I go there a few times a year, but the first and memorable time was when i visited Nikko Sannai, at the center of the Nikko Mountain area.   It has 57 shrines and temples, including the famous ones being Toshogu Shrine, Rinno-ji Temple and Futarasan Shrine.    Nikko has extremely important traces of the Japanese history and cultures and therefore has been a very popular tourists attraction.  If you have only a limited time, my suggestion is to take a day or two days Nikko tour from Tokyo.   Nikko is a "must see" when you come to visit Japan.

A little information to distinguish the difference between shrine and temples:

*shrine (or "jinja" in Japanese) is used by Shinto believers to pray ; Shinto is Japan's main religion and it is practised widely through ceremonies and festivals.

*temple usually refers to Buddhist temples, where you can see images of Buddha, which orginally came from India

Activities in Nikko

Other than visiting famous shrines and temples, you can enjoy a beautiful nature of Nikko National Park, by walking a 3-4 hours, exploring the Park while  listening to the nature's voice, the frogs, birds, insects and breeze of the season.    In spring time hiking, fishing and camping at Nasu Shiobara are very popular to locals.    Roads may be crowded but you definitely not want to miss the beauty of nature there ... lake or river fishing is also fun. 

For more details about Tochigi please visit the official English sites of Tochigi prefecture.  Enjoy!

http://www.tochigiji.or.jp/en-index.html

... coming next is "Ishigakijima at Okinawa"!

Food In Japan Is Not Expensive

There is an image among foreign visitors that travelling in Japan, especially Tokyo or major cities  here, costs a lot of money and that food are expensive here.  Well, that is not certainly true, because nowadays there are choices for those who know where to go.   

Like elsewhere in the world, meals are expensive if you eat at the Hotels or restaurants in high rise building.   So here is my recommendation:

1. For the best Sushi & Sashimi

Shimbashi is known to locals here as the place for you to find good sushi and sashimi.   You can get fresh, delicious and reasonable sashimi, mostly from 75 Yen! (that is less than a $1! each).    Best of all it is located at a very convenient place, just off the station. 

http://www.uogashi.jp/shop_10.html

Take a ride on the JR Yamanote Line, and go to Shimbashi station. Look for Uogashi, name of the chain (kaiten) sushi, just as you Exit the Main Gate.   

Also check photo (left) or print it if you like and show to the Station Master for help.   There are other chains of Uogashi, if you like to check, click below and just click at the shop name and check for maps.    Unfortunately they are all written in Japanese.

​http://www.uogashi.jp/​

2. For Other Local Food

In Tokyo and other major city, any major stations are connected to or have department stores nearby.   Go to these stores such as Takashimaya, Seibu, Tobu, Mitsukoshi and walk to the Basement Floor where they sell various take-out food.  Some major department stores also have eat-in place.   If you are particular about freshness, visit just before the peak hour at lunchtime or dinner time.   If you are more curious about getting the best value, visit just before the closing hour, a few minutes before 8 pm.    However, i recommend that you do not purchase any raw food such as sushi/sashimi at this late hours because they are no longer fresh.    

3.  There also restaurants and cafe that offers special discounts during rainy days.    Yes, here locals tend to stay put and avoid going out/eating out during rainy days, so giving discounts is their way of pulling the consumers to come.     Hm, but i don't think our stomach should wait for rainy days :D !

Enjoy!

Roppongi Mid Town

I mentioned in the earlier notes that for you who do not like crowd, you probably should not visit Tokyo because everywhere you go, you will find crowd.   Well, i was slightly wrong there.   I finally found a place, that is not very crowded, right in the center of the city, Roppongi at Tokyo Mid Town.

I let my daughter pose for direction.  

Take Hibiya Line to go to Roppongi and exit from Gate 7.8 to go to Roppongi, Tokyo Mid Town.   It takes about 10 minutes from the platform to the shops & restaurants.

Even if you are not art lovers, I recommend that you visit Tokyo's two major museums,  the Suntory Museum and  the National Art Center.   

http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/design/suntory.html

http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html

For you who are more comfortable in an English speaking environment, Tokyo Mid Town is a place where you can stroll without worrying for signs in Japanese.   It has everything from cinema, shopping centers, art, garden, a five star hotels all in the same area.

From Tokyo Mid Town you can take a stroll towards the Roppongi Hills (you can stroll underground if you do not like the hustle of Tokyo roads).   Roppongi Hills is a popular residence for high profile expatriates.  The residence has medical facility, five star hotels, a tower overlooking Tokyo,  and has various restaurants and shopping malls for you to wander around.  http://www.roppongihills.com/en/

Do not worry about the price of things, in Roppongi area you can have choices of lunch from as low as

 290 Yen lunch, or as high as from 10,000 Yen per person.  As for me, i go for a moderate, 3500 Yen, just in case. 

For couples, there is a great news!  At Roppongi Hills you can visit the Tower and have a great veiw of Tokyo from the 54th floor AND.....  rent a private room for 30 minutes free of charge.  You just have to make a booking when you arrive.   I have no details on what the room looks like but it should have a magnificent view and a nice sofa bed, or else they won't call it the "Sweet Heart Room" for nothing.

Whereas for those (men) who come alone probably want to check out places like this one, Seventh Heaven.  I can't give you much details since i only saw the sign.

For those who are not afraid of height you can go to the rooftop of the Roppongi Hills Tower and feel the wind of Tokyo.... the air is better than that of Shanghai or Beijing, i can quarantee.  On a lovely sunny day you can have a full picture of Tokyo and see Mount Fuji as well. 

Tours Are OK, Walking & Taking Trains Are Exciting Too

I asked a few friends and relatives about what they worry most when they travel in a country where you don't speak the language.   Here are the answers:

1. Afraid of getting lost or not knowing how to get back (to the hotel)

2. Worry they won't be able to go to the right place and enjoy

3. Don't know how to order food

4. Get into trouble at payment (cashiers)

Well, unfortunately if you come to Japan and take tours all day, you will miss all the good spots in town.   Having said that, if you have a crowd phobia, that is you feel uneasy/uncomfortable being in a crowd - where there are many people .... hm, maybe you should stay put and not even take a tour here.   Most popular places in Japan are crowded with people, not only foreign visitors but local people.

If i may suggest, it is best to get familar with the places, major stations, main transportation and hotel surroundings before you arrive.....  maybe, one day.  

Japanese love travelling, especially those sixty years old and above, because they get to travel at cheaper price.   

When i first arrived in Japan, my first visit was the Yebisu Garden Place, just off Ebisu station.   My first impression of Japan from looking at Yebisu Garden Place was "classy, modern, clean, all in one, big, expensive, convenient, signs in English (thank God)"　  http://gardenplace.jp/

If you stay at the Westin (Ebisu), make sure you ask for a room facing the Mt. Fuji... on a clear day the view is magnificent!

From Yebisu,  i took a train to Shibuya, where the crowd is.    12 years ago there was no English announcement on the train like today, so yes, i had to listen hard for the word "shi-bu-ya... shi-bu-ya desu".    Here is what the ride felt like.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnHRMK2kpPo

Photo (left) shows how it looks like as you exit Shibuya station walking towards Hachiko*.    

For those concerned about how to take trains from one major city to the next, here is a tool (when you get to the page, click English on the top left hand side):

http://www.hyperdia.com/

Very easy to use, just don't spell the station name wrongly.   Also for first time visitors, maybe it it is good to stick to the green trains, on the Yamanote Line.   Check out JR maps posted earlier.

Then from Shibuya, i took the JR train to Shinjuku.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tv45T-3Dc8

 When i got off and went upstairs to the Main Entrance, i was shocked to see various other train lines. I think Shinjuku station is where you can easily get lost because of there are various subways and several different trains, including the Narita Express will stop at Shinjuku.    Light ups at Shinjuku Southern Terrace are beautiful at nights, particularly during Christmas, New Years and Valentine Day.

I used to enjoy a nice walk along the Terrace after work, a short break at Starbucks or a brunch at a Japanese cafeteria at the Terrace. 

More photos coming soon! 

Japanese Opera - Kabuki

If you like stage performance like opera, there is an internationally well known, a Japanese traditional stage art, called "kabuki" which is not to miss when you are in Tokyo.   

Check out performances available at:http://www.kabuki-za.co.jp/

This official website of the biggest kabuki theather in Tokyo, Kabuki-za, has an English site that gives information on opera, the story, performance time and ticket price.

... i love watching kabuki for the acting is very unique, the costumes are georgeous, and its beautiful music of shamisen ....

... the performance brings you closer to the old Japan era you rarely see today and  a virbant energy of its culture and tradition...

... the only problem you may have is that you need to purchase tickets in advance, because popular shows are quickly sold out and kabuki is very popular among the local people here...

... for a good seat and sight of the opera, you need to spend about 12,000 Yen and reserve a good seat...

... do not worry about translation because the theatre provides a free headphone set giving simultaneous English translation throughout the show...

... make sure you read the story first before selecting which shows you want to see, some shows are light and humorous while others may be a non fiction... 

To get a better feeling of the kabuki atmosphere and its tradtion, the homepage below takes you to a complete set of photos of the theatre (inside and out) with great details.

You can purchase ticket through: 

Customer Service at your Hotel or visit any major department store and check with the Customer Service Counter

Also available online at some convenient stores.

http://webryalbum.biglobe.ne.jp/myalbum/100250700d09484a0246f2a2442ffab118c63f430/

90171411964909511

Also check out English website on Kabuki:

http://www.shochiku.co.jp/play/kabukiza/theater/index.html

Winter Lovers (cont'd) - Kamakura

Besides Hokkaido, another popular festival is the Kamakura display, in Yokote Park, Akita.

Kamakura is a kind of igloo made by building a mound of snow about 2m in diameter and hollowing out the inside.   

Traditionally a small alter is set up inside and dedicated to Suijin-sama, the god of water.  Nowadays kamakura becomes a tourist attraction.  

The kamakura display is only held during 2 days, usually on the middle Saturday and Sunday of February.  This year it is held on February 14th and 15th.

For Winter & Art Lovers

If you love winter and do not mind being 

in the cold, there are two beautiful country

sides in Japan that i would like to 

recommend you to visit, Hokkaido 

Hokkaido (Northern Japan) Sapporo is the 

largest city in Hokkaido.  

Every year Sapporo held a Snow Festival, 

in Odori Park. Sapporo is always crowded 

during the snow festival, so it is best to 

reserve accommodation in advance.

I went there twice in 1998 and 2001 and both were great!

Check out Sapporo official website for its 60th Snow Festival this year:

http://www.snowfes.com/english/index.html

.. the best thing about this festival are 3 things, 

the scale/size of  sculptures, the variety (this year

286 sculptures for display) and the artistic 

elements of each sculptures - simply beautiful ....

... light ups at night are so beautiful and romantic...

... although there were many people visiting and 

the place was crowded i had no difficulties taking

 photos, because here people are generally 

polite and they can queue and take turns ...

... if you want to be comfortable watching the 

festival, make sure to wear proper winter clothes and winter boots

are better than an ordinary pair shoes, simply because the road 

you are walking are either icy or frozen snow....

During both visits, I stayed at Prince Hotel in 

Sapporo, a reasonable quality hotel convenient  

for first time travellers and English speakers.

http://www5.princehotels.co.jp/en/sapporo/

A Must Have Maps - Subway & Railways

Worried about taking public transportation?  

Here railway or subway transportation is one of the most 

convenient and a faster way of reaching your destination.  

Majority of Japanese take public transportation and I am 

one of them.  

During my first few months in Japan, these two maps never 

left my bags whenever I travel.  

They are very useful and easy to use - definitely "a must 

have maps" when you visit Japan.

For more information about subway transportation, click:

http://www.tokyometro.jp/global/en/index.html

For more information about railways transportation, click:

http://www.japanrail.com/

Winter Flowers and Onsen

Robai (Plum Blossoms)

One of my favorite winter trip is to visit Robai-en, the plum garden in Nagatoro.   The word "garden" is an understatement, for you can see almost the whole mountain dazzling in a beautiful yellow color from the plum blossoms.   These flowers only bloom in the winter time, therefore February (late winter) is the best month to visit. After taking a romantic stroll in Robai-en, taking lots of photos, it is best to have an overnight stay in a ryokan "Japanese inn" and enjoy a a warm hot spring bath, here we call "onsen".   There is a ryokan near Nagatoro, just off Chichibu station, that has private a bath in the room, named Araki Kousen Ryokan.   In Chichibu area there are many choices of ryokan at different level of price.   A good quality and reasonable ryokan starts from 12,000 Yen per person to 20,000 Yen per person (breakfast & dinner included).   A room with a private bath usually costs about 20,000 Yen per person/night.

Check out this railway map on HOW to get to Chichibu station (note: Nagatoro is just two stations away from Chichibu): http://www.seibu-group.co.jp/railways/tourist/rosen.pdf

Check out also Official Site for Chichibu town:

http://www.city.chichibu.lg.jp/cgi-bin/odb-get.exe?wit_template=AC010000&wit_oid=icityv2::CommonGenre::1487&m=1&d=

Onsen

The Japanese love hot springs (onsen) and many people head for one when they go on holiday,

 especially in the winter time.   Onsen is known to be effective in curing various type of minor illnesses (in fact there are some onsens that are especially well known for healing certain illness, such as skin problems, poor blood circulation, joints/muscles aches, etc.)

In the past hot springs are used for both women and men, where they bathe together or the so called mixed bathing.  However nowadays, women and men bath separately and there are only very few onsens allowing mixed bathing.

Various types of onsen: 

*rotenburo (=open-air bath) where you can see natural surroundings outside, usually located in the garden, by the river, by the ocean

*myoban onsen (=bath with oranges) where they put oranges (unpeeled) into the baths, known to be effective as beauty treatment

*mushiburo = similar to that of sauna, except that the steam is made from the hot spring water entering through a pipe)

*sunamushiyu = hot sand bath, where the bather steams his body by burying himself in hot sand, the sand is heated using hot spring water.

Strawberry Picking

The best time to experience strawberry picking in Japan is during winter, from February to early spring in March.    You can take a bus tour or go on your own by trains to popular strawberry farm in Izu and Chiba.   

... i recommend that you go to Naruto - the town for strawberry picking, the town has dozens of farms for your choice, all open during the season for strawberry picking ...

How to go?  Take trains to Naruto Station in Chiba.   When you arrive at Naruto, go the the Tourist Information Center just beside the station.   There are various choices of strawberry farms you can visit however during peak season (strawberry picking season) it is best to check with the Tourist Information Center which farm is best for a visit that day  (alternatively you can  make a reservation for picking prior to visit).   

Call Tourist Information Center (Naruto) at 0475-82-2071 when you are in Japan.

Science Museum - Miraikan in Odaiba

One of my favorite spot to spend a weekend is to take trains to Odaiba and enjoy shopping, eating and taking a stroll while looking at the romantic views of the Tokyo Bay in the evening.

Check out Odaiba City Guide (English):

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3008.html

And there is a place you do not want to miss.  For those who love science and want to know a little more about the how, why, what and where technology is moving on, i recommend you to visit the Science Museum "Miraikan" in Odaiba.

... my child loves to see Asimo (developed by Honda), a human robot who can dance, talk, walk and move exactly like one of us, performing live at Miraikan...

... i myself enjoy the thrill of playing a doctor, doing a surgery to remove tumor, using the latest technology on a plastic human, and listening to short lectures about the latest medical  findings that affect our future...

Photo: Virtual Globe - a miniature size of the world, the globe is showing an hourly updated weather forecast worldwide

Click their English homepage below to check out special programs and activities that they have this month at Miraikan:

http://www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/