Japan is like a giant candy shop for kids. What I mean by this is that there is so much from which to choose and everything looks good. Do I go for the old-fashioned candies, licorices, jellybeans, chocolates or a mixed bag? The choices can be overwhelming. However, you can rest assured that whatever you get, it is going to be good. Japan offers a mixed bag of experiences that range from historic to ultra modern, traditional to kitsch, super quiet to uber chaotic. Geishas vs. harajuku girls, temples vs. modern high-rises, cherry-blossom picnics vs. moss covered gardens – Japan has it all.
A little over two years ago, my family had the opportunity to visit Japan. The definates included Tokyo and a wonderful coastal town, Kochi. The rest was up to us. After weeks of exploring travel options, including trains schedules and accommodations, our trip looked as follows: 4 days in Tokyo, 2 days in Kochi, 3 days in Kyoto and back to Tokyo for 3 additional days. This required some serious planning and advanced details. If we had more time in each city, we could have allowed more to chance. However, with such brief stays in each place, we had to have certain things in place and be well versed in our travel cities to make the most of our time. So the research began.
Although I have written specific posts about Tokyo and Kyoto, I am writing four posts that will provide some important background information (and some cost savings). The four posts are: (1) transportation; (2) accommodations; (3) language; and, (4) food. There are just a few tips that will help you organize your travels, create a unique experience and enable you to take MANY 1wrongturns.
The following three links are to sites that I found really helpful in understanding and navigating Japan, as a whole.
Japan National Tourism Organization was my first stop. It provides a very thoughtful understanding of Japan culture, food/dining, transportation and accommodations. I highly recommend that you download the brochure Your Guide to Japan.
Japan-guide.com is rather commercial but has a tremendous amount of information.
Wikitravel: Japan – I like Wikitravel – get over it!
Useful tips:
- Dialing Code – the international dialling code for Japan is +81.
- Time – Japan is +9 hours GMT.
- Capital: Tokyo
- Religions: observe both Shinto and Buddhist 84%, other 16% (including Christian 0.7%)
Popularity: 7% [?]
