J-LifeStyle

Japanese Language Proficiency Test

2007-08-18T03:47:00.000-07:00

The Japanese Language Proficiency Test (Nihongo Noryoku Shiken) measures a person's proficiency in the Japanese language. Test results are widlely used by professionals seeking employment at Japanese companies and students seeking acceptance at Japanese educational institutions to certify their language proficiency.

The JLPT is held once a year in December in various cities inside and outside of Japan. The test has four levels, the lowest being level 4 for beginners and the highest being level 1 for advanced students. Writing, vocabulary, listening, reading and grammar skills are tested.

Taken from ==<click here>===

Living Cost

2007-08-18T03:45:00.000-07:00

Living costs in Japan and especially in Tokyo are famous to be among the world's highest. However, if you live outside of central Tokyo, adjust to a Japanese lifestyle and do not depend too heavily on food and products from your home country, you may be surprised how inexpensive Japan can be.

Housing

Some of the world's most expensive land can be found in central Tokyo. Consequently, even tiny apartments in the city center are very expensive. However, housing costs are distinctly lower in Tokyo's suburbs, surrounding prefectures and in other regions and cities of Japan. Additional commuting costs are often more than compensated by the savings on the rent, especially as many Japanese companies pay part or all of their employees' commuting expenses. If you prefer to live close to city centers, gaijin houses are an inexpensive option to consider.

Utilities such as gas, water and especially electricity are expensive, and phone rates are high. For international calls, consider callback services and other offers for the expat community.

Food

Local supermarkets are relatively inexpensive if you stick to Japanese food such as seasonal vegetables, seafood, soya bean products and rice. If you visit supermarkets shortly before closing time in the evening, you can purchase remaining perishable products at big discounts.

There are plenty of restaurants where you can have a full meal for between 500 and 1000 Yen. Noodles (ramen, soba and udon), domburi (for example, beef domburi), curry rice, bibimba (Korean style domburi), hamburgers and many more types of dishes are available at such inexpensive restaurants. Look for them around and inside large train stations and in business areas.

A meal at a more average restaurant costs roughly between 1,000 and 3,000 Yen, while there is no upper price limit when it comes to high-class restaurants such as ryotei.

During lunch hours, many restaurants offer inexpensive teishoku (set menus) at around 1000 Yen. Lunch boxes (bento), which are sold in convenience stores and department stores, train stations and at temporary stands in business areas are also a good deal.

Yoshinoya, famous for very inexpensive
beef domburi (280 Yen)

Teishoku (set menu)

Everyday goods and services

Clothing departments of supermarket chains such as Ito Yokado or discount clothing stores such as Uniqlo offer inexpensive clothing. The availability of large sized clothes may becomes a problem if you are over 180 cm tall or a big person, otherwise. Department stores and boutiques are more expensive.

Japanese hair dressers are famous for their great service and high prices. However, there are also places where you can get a quick haircut for around 1000 Yen.

While naturally not famous for high quality, 100 Yen Shops sell a large range of products including stationary and kitchen goods at 105 Yen each (consumption tax included) and can be very cost-efficient.

Uniqlo, a chain store for discount clothing
has branches everywhere

QB House offers 10 minute haircuts for 1000 Yen

Transportation

Commuters can purchase commuter passes for unlimited travel between their home and office/school for a given time period. A large variety of other discount offers is available for train travel in Japan. Check out our Guide to Japanese train tickets for more details.

Owning a car in Japan is expensive due to the mandatory bi-annual inspections (shaken), mandatory insurance, an automobile tax and the fee for a parking space (in large cities). The cars themselves, however, are relatively inexpensive, with smaller new cars starting at under one million yen. A liter of gasoline costs around 100 Yen. The use of highways is subject to tolls.

Electronics

Electronic goods, such as TVs, stereo sets, cameras and computers are relatively inexpensive at stores like Yamada Denki, Yodobashi Camera, Sakuraya and Bic Camera, and in discount shopping areas like Akihabara in Tokyo.

Studying in Japan

2007-08-18T03:41:00.000-07:00

More than 100,000 international students are currently studying at universities, junior colleges, professional schools and other educational institutions in Japan. Their number has been increasing rapidly since the 1980s, with two thirds of the students coming from China.

Visa Matters

Short time studies at Japanese language schools are permitted on a tourist visa. All other foreign student in Japan need a student visa in order to study in Japan. Visa applicants require an educational institution as their sponsor in order to obtain a student visa.

Student visa holders are not allowed to engage in any paid activities, unless they get the permission of the school and the immigration office. Even then, students may work only a set maximum number of hours per week. Working on a tourist visa is prohibited.

Language Schools

Japanese language schools exist in many cities across Japan, ranging from informal conversation schools to government recognized institutions that offer preparatory courses for students to enroll at universities.

There are language schools for all proficiency levels, and courses of different durations from just a few weeks to more than one year.

Universities

The Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students (EJU) is a standard examination in existence since 2002, simplifying the process of admission to Japanese universities for international students.

The examination covers the Japanese language, science, mathematics, Japan and the World and is held biannually in Japan and selected cities outside of Japan. The examination can be written in Japanese or English (except the section on Japanese language; some testing sites don't offer tests in English).

Almost all national universities, about two thirds of the public universities and roughly half of the private universities use the EJU as admission criteria for international students, while the others apply their own entrance exams.

Naturally, most university courses in Japan are only available in Japanese, although quite a few universities offer one or more English courses at a master's and/or doctoral level. Only a handful of universities offer English courses on the undergraduate (bachelor) level.

Scholarships and Exchange Programs

Scholarship programs for international students are provided by the Japanese government, local governments, the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) and private organizations, foundations and companies in Japan and abroad.

Likewise, there are various governmental bodies, organizations and educational institutions inside and outside of Japan that offer short term exchange programs for secondary and post secondary students to study in Japan and experience life in Japan.

Kendo

2007-08-11T03:29:00.000-07:00

Kendo is Japanese fencing. It means "the way of the sword". Swords used to be a main weapon in Japanese warfare for many centuries. They continued to be the symbol of the samurai into the 19th century.

The participants in modern kendo are well protected and use bamboo swords. As in all the Japanese martial arts, the training of one's mind is essential also in kendo.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Samurai

2007-08-11T03:27:00.000-07:00

Samurai Armour

The samurai (or bushi) were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors.

Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword.

Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, Bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior.

After a defeat, some samurai chose to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) by cutting their abdomen rather than being captured or dying a dishonorable death.

Below follows a short history of the Japanese warrior:

Heian Period (794-1185)

The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period, when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.

Kamakura Period (1192-1333)

In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the highest military officer, he became the ruler of Japan.

Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573)

During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai, 1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent states which were constantly fighting each other. Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high. Between the wars, many samurai were working on farms. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa take place during this era.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi reunited Japan, he started to introduce a rigid social caste system which was later completed by Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors. Hideyoshi forced all samurai to decide between a life on the farm and a warrior life in castle towns. Furthermore, he forbade anyone but the samurai to arm themselves with a sword.

Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each caste. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period.

With the fall of Osaka Castle in 1615, the Tokugawa's last potential rival was eliminated, and relative peace prevailed in Japan for about 250 years. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined, and most samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists.

In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was abolished.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Japanese sword (nihonto)

2007-08-11T03:24:00.000-07:00

The Japanese sword (nihonto) has been internationally known for its sharpness and beauty since feudal times. The sword used to be the distinguishing mark of the samurai.

Since swords are dangerous weapons, a permit is required to own one in Japan today.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Origami

2007-08-10T02:36:00.000-07:00

Origami is the art of folding paper. Glue or scissors are usually not used.

One of the most popular folding objects is the crane. It is said that 1000 cranes make a wish come true. 1000 cranes are given to sick people in order to wish them a fast recovery. The folded crane is also a symbol for peace. In the peace parks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, large numbers of folded cranes are laid down besides the monuments that remember the atomic bombs.

Other popular folding objects are flowers, balloons, gold fish, frogs, swans, and many more.


Thousands of cranes in Hiroshima

Taken from ===<click here>===

NO

2007-08-10T02:33:00.000-07:00

No is a very old form of traditional Japanese theater with its origins in the 14th century. The actors of No plays wear masks. They speak and sing in a very monotonous way, accompanied by a chorus and traditional music instruments. The No stage is usually located outdoors and has a roof supported by four columns.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Kabuki

2007-08-03T06:46:00.000-07:00

Kabuki is a traditional Japanese form of theater with its origins in the Edo period. Kabuki, in contrast to the older surviving Japanese art forms such as No, was the popular culture of the townspeople and not of the higher social classes.

Kabuki plays are about historical events, moral conflicts in love relationships and the like. The actors use an old fashioned language which is difficult to understand even for some Japanese people. They speak in a monotonous voice and are accompanied by traditional Japanese instruments.

The kabuki stage (kabuki no butai) is a rotating stage and is further equipped with several gadgets like trapdoors through which the actors can appear and disappear. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience.

In the early years, both, men and women acted in Kabuki plays. Later during the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate forbade the acting to women, a restriction that survives to the present day. Several male kabuki actors are, therefore, specialized in playing female roles (onnagata).

The best place for tourists to see a kabuki play is in the Kabukiza Theater in the Ginza district in Tokyo, where it is possible to rent English headphones and see just one act of a play instead of sitting through a whole performance which not seldomly lasts more than three hours.

Note that during kabuki plays, it is common for fans in the audience to shout the name of their favorite actor just in the right moment during short pauses.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Ikebana

2007-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers aesthetically. One tries to represent the three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation.

Ikebana developed in the 16th century. Traditional Ikebana is called Kado. There are many different schools of traditional Ikebana. In addition, modern styles of Ikebana (avant-garde Ikebana) have evolved. Some of these styles use glass, iron, and other materials instead of flowers.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Garden

2007-08-03T06:30:00.000-07:00

Garden design has been an important Japanese art for many centuries. Traditional Japanese landscape gardens can be broadly categorized into three types, Tsukiyama Gardens (hill gardens), Karesansui Gardens (dry gardens) and Chaniwa Gardens (tea gardens).

Tsukiyama (Suizenji Koen, Kumamoto)

Karesansui (Nanzenji, Kyoto)

Tsukiyama Gardens

Ponds, streams, hills, stones, trees, flowers, bridges and paths are used to create a miniature reproduction of a natural scenery which is often a famous landscape in China or Japan. The name Tsukiyama refers to the creation of artificial hills.

Tsukiyama gardens vary in size and in the way they are viewed. Smaller gardens are usually enjoyed from a single viewpoint, such as the veranda of a temple, while many larger gardens are best experienced by following a circular scrolling path.

Karesansui Gardens

Karesansui gardens reproduce natural landscapes in a more abstract way by using stones, gravel, sand and sometimes a few patches of moss for representing mountains, islands, boats, seas and rivers. Karesansui gardens are strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism and used for meditation.

Chaniwa Gardens

Chaniwa gardens are built for the tea ceremony. They contain a tea house where the actual ceremony is held and are designed in aesthetic simplicity according to the concepts of sado (tea ceremony).

Chaniwa gardens typically feature stepping stones that lead towards the tea house, stone lanterns and a stone basin (tsukubai), where guests purify themselves before participating in the ceremony.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Japanese dolls

2007-08-03T06:07:00.000-07:00

Dolls have been manufactured since the early days of Japanese culture. Today, there exist various types of Japanese dolls. The following is a description of only a few of the most famous ones:


Daruma Doll	Kokeshi Doll	Hakata Doll

Daruma dolls are spherical dolls with a red painted body and a white face, but without pupils. They represent the Zen monk Bodhidharma. It is the custom to paint one of the doll's pupils in the beginning of a new year, make a wish and paint in the second pupil, if the wish comes true. Takasaki's Shorinzan Daruma Temple is the birthplace of daruma dolls as good luck charms.

Kokeshi dolls are simply shaped, wooden dolls from Northern Honshu, which originated as souvenirs distributed at hot spring resorts during the Edo Period. Kokeshi dolls have neither arms nor legs, but a large head and a cylindrical body.

Hakata dolls are clay dolls manufactured in Fukuoka Prefecture on Kyushu. They are worked out in great detail and painted beautifully.

Hina Dolls

Various dolls are used during festivals. Among them are hina dolls, which are displayed during the girl's festival and samurai dolls, which are displayed during the boy's festival.

Bunraku is a traditional Japanese puppet theater. Please visit our bunraku page for more details.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Calligraphy (shodo)

2007-08-03T06:05:00.000-07:00

Calligraphy (shodo: "the way of writing") is the art of writing beautifully. Most children learn calligraphy in elementary school. It is a popular hobby for adults, too.

A calligraphy set consists of:

Shitajiki: Black, soft mat. It provides a comfortable, soft surface.

Bunchin: Metal stick to weight down the paper during writing.

Hanshi: Special, thin calligraphy paper.

Fude: Brush. There is a larger brush for writing the main characters and a smaller one for writing the artist's name. The small brush, however, can be used for the characters, too.

Suzuri: Heavy black container for the ink.

Sumi: Solid black material that must be rubbed in water in the suzuri to produce the black ink which is then used for writing. Of course, "instant ink" in bottles is also available.

Unlike the strokes of Roman letters, the strokes of Japanese characters have to be drawn in the correct order, not arbitrarily. When you learn Chinese characters, you draw one stroke after the other. This is called the square (Kaisho) style of writing kanji.

The Japanese, however, rarely use this style of writing kanji. There are two faster styles of writing in which the kanji become a little bit less legible. It is like writing Roman letters in a fast way: everything is written in only a few strokes. These two styles are called semi cursive (Gyosho) and cursive (Sosho).

Kaisho:
Square style

Gyosho:
Semi cursive style

Sosho:
Cursive style

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Bunraku

2007-08-03T06:01:00.002-07:00

Bunraku is traditional Japanese puppet theater that has its origin in the Edo period. Bunraku and Kabuki are closely related with respect to the content of plays. Bunraku plays are also accompanied by the music of traditional Japanese music instruments.

The puppets are about one meter tall and are manipulated by up to three persons. Every person is responsible for a different part of the puppet. Thanks to many years of experience they are able to make the puppets appear alive despite the fact that they are visible on the stage.

Taken from ==<Click Here>===

Bonsai

2007-08-03T06:01:00.001-07:00

Bonsai is the art of cultivating miniature trees. The pine, a tree that grows many meters tall in wild nature, is the most typical plant used for bonsai, but many other tree species can be used.

To achieve miniaturization, the tree is frequently transferred into new pots, and on that occasion its roots are cut a little bit. Bonsai skills include the knowledge of when and how much to cut the roots, how much fertilizer and water is ideal, and which branches should be pruned to give the plant an aesthetic look.

Architecture

2007-08-03T05:58:00.000-07:00

Japanese houses have thin walls because of the mild climate and overlapping, slanted, and slightly curved roofs because of the fact that there is plenty of rain especially during early summer. Timber is the traditional building material for Japanese houses. It makes them airy which is important during the humid summer months. The disadvantages are that the houses can be damaged easily by earthquakes and fires. Nowadays, concrete and steel are, of course, widely used as well.

When Japan opened herself to the rest of the world around the year 1868, Western architecture began to displace traditional Japanese architecture. Nevertheless, some modern Japanese detached houses still have a typically Japanese appearance.

A modern
Japanese house

A condominium
apartment house

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Kanazawa

2007-07-24T16:40:00.000-07:00

Kenrokuen

Kanazawa's importance grew in the 15th century, when the powerful and militant Ikko sect established its new headquarters there after being chased out of Kyoto by the monks of Mt.Hiei.

During the Edo Period, Kanazawa was the seat of the Maeda clan, the second most powerful clan after the Tokugawa in terms of rice production and fief size. Accordingly, Kanazawa grew to become a town of great cultural achievements, rivaling Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo).

In World War Two, Kanazawa was Japan's second largest city (after Kyoto) to escape destruction by air raids. Consequently, parts of the old castle town, such as samurai, temple and pleasure districts, have survived in pretty good condition.

Kanazawa is capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, a prefecture along the Sea of Japan.

Taken from ===<click here>===

The Izu Peninsula (Izu Hanto)

2007-07-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

The Izu Peninsula (Izu Hanto) is a resort area about 100 kilometers southwest of Tokyo, popular for its hot springs, beautiful coastlines, beaches, mild climate, scenic mountainous interior and views of Mount Fuji from its western coast.

The peninsula's eastern coast and the Shuzenji area are well connected with Tokyo by trains, while the less developed western coast and other areas are served by buses. Izu is also a great place to be explored by rental car, motorbike or bicyle.

On weekends and during holiday seasons, the Izu Peninsula can get quite busy, and traffic jams along the eastern coast are not unusual. However, during off-season weekdays, many parts of the peninsula can be very quiet.

Atami is a hot spring city with shinkansen station at the entrance to the Izu Peninsula. While the city is attractively located on the steep slopes along the ocean coast, it has obviously suffered from the economic downturn of the 1990s.

Ito is another hot spring city along the peninsula's eastern coast, only about 15 kilometers south of Atami. Inside Ito's municipal limits lies Izu Kogen, a pleasant resort town with more hot springs and the nearby scenic Jogasaki coast.

Further down the eastern coast, Kawazu is a town famous for its early blooming Kawazu cherry trees, which are usually in bloom as early as late February to mid March.

Shimoda near the peninsula's southern tip, was the landing place of Commodore Perry's "black ships" in 1854, an event which marked the end of Japan's era of isolation and the start of diplomatic relations between the US and Japan.

Shuzenji in central Izu is another famous hot spring resort with a pleasant and beautifully preserved resort town center. Shuzenji is named after a local temple.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Nagoya

2007-07-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

Nagoya Castle

With over two million inhabitants, Nagoya is Japan's fourth most populated city. It is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and the principal city of the Nobi plain, one of Honshu's three large plains and industrial centers.

Nagoya developed as the castle town of the Owari, one of the three branches of the ruling Tokugawa family during the Edo Period. Much of the city, including most of its historic buildings, were destroyed in the air raids of 1945.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Chubu

2007-07-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

The Chubu Region consists of nine prefectures and is located in the center of Japan's largest island Honshu.

The northern part of the Chubu Region along the Sea of Japan coast (Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama) is also known as Hokuriku Region, while the southern part (Shizuoka, Aichi, Gifu) is also known as Tokai Region and the prefectures of Yamanashi, Nagano and Niigata as the Koshinetsu Region.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Yaeyama

2007-07-21T19:07:00.000-07:00

The Yaeyama Islands are the southernmost of three major island groups making up the prefecture of Okinawa. The Miyako and Okinawa Islands are the other two.

Among the Yaeyama Islands, Ishigaki Island is the most populated and serves as the region's transportation hub. Other islands include the jungle covered Iriomote Island and Taketomi Island, famous for its beautifully preserved, traditional Ryukyu village.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Okinawa Honto

2007-07-21T19:05:00.000-07:00

Shuri Castle

The center of the former Ryukyu Kingdom, Okinawa Main Island (Okinawa Honto) is by far the largest and most populous island in Okinawa Prefecture and the regional transportation hub. The prefectural capital Naha and most of the US military bases are located on Okinawa Honto.

While much of the central part of Okinawa Honto is urbanized, the southern tip of the island is less densely populated, and the north remains mainly covered by forested hills and small fishing and farming villages.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Okinawa

2007-07-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture, consisting of a few dozen, small islands in the southern half of the Nansei Shoto, the island chain which stretches over about one thousand kilometers from Kyushu to Taiwan.

Okinawa Prefecture can be divided into three major island groups, the Okinawa Islands (Okinawa Shoto) around Okinawa Island (Okinawa Honto), the Miyako Islands (Miyako Retto) around Miyako Island and the Yaeyama Islands (Yaeyama Retto) around Ishigaki Island.

Okinawa's climate is subtropical, with temperatures barely falling below 15 degrees in winter. The seas surrounding Okinawa's islands are considered among the world's most beautiful with coral reefs and abundant marine wildlife. Consequently, snorkeling and scuba diving are among Okinawa's top attractions.

The islands making up Okinawa Prefecture, are also known as the Ryukyu Islands, named after the native culture, which is distinctly different from that of the rest of Japan in terms of language, cuisine, arts, etc.

An independent kingdom and tributary state to China for several centuries, the Ryukyu Islands came under control of the Satsuma feudal fief (today's Kagoshima Prefecture) in the 17th century, and were made a Japanese prefecture in 1879, accompanied by efforts to assimilate the native population. But despite these past efforts, the Ryukyuan culture survived and is now Okinawa's other main attraction.

Towards the end of World War Two, Okinawa became the stage of one of the war's bloodiest battles, when American troops invaded the islands. Okinawa remained under US administration until 1972, while several thousands of US military members remain stationed on the spacious and controversial US military bases on Okinawa Main Island today.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Beppu

2007-07-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Chinoike Jigoku ("Blood Pond Hell")

Beppu is one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, producing more hot spring water than any other resort in the country.

Beppu offers an unmatched range of baths to be enjoyed, including ordinary hot water baths, mud baths, sand baths and steam baths. In addition, the Hells of Beppu are several spectacular hot springs for viewing rather than bathing.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kagoshima

2007-07-20T23:24:00.000-07:00

Sakurajima

Kagoshima is Kyushu's southernmost, major city and the capital of Kagoshima Prefecture. The city is often compared with its Italian sister city Naples due to a similarly mild climate, palm tree lined streets, relatively hot tempered inhabitants and Sakurajima, Kagoshima's Vesuvius.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Minamata

2007-07-20T23:05:00.000-07:00

Minamata Eco Park

Minamata City in southern Kumamoto Prefecture gained worldwide fame in the 1950s and 1960s through a mercury poisoning disaster, caused by a local factory's discharge of poisonous wastewater into Minamata Bay.

Thousands of local inhabitants fell victim to the poisoning, and the disease caused by mercury poisoning became globally known as the Minamata Disease, named after the city where it had first been discovered.

In recent decades, Minamata has been building on its negative history in a positive way and established itself as an environmental model city, promoting a wide range of recycling and environmental programs. The city is welcoming school and study tours from across Japan and the world for the study of environmental problems.

Home to about 30,000 people, Minamata is beautifully located along the coast of the Shiranui Sea with views onto the Amakusa Islands. Two hot spring resorts are located within the municipal limits of Minamata: mountainous Yunotsuru Onsen and coastal Yunoko Onsen.

Taken from ======

Mount Aso

2007-07-20T22:21:00.000-07:00

Mount Aso (阿蘇山, Aso-san) is an active volcano in the center of Kyushu. Its ancient caldera ranks among the world's largest, with a diameter of up to 25 kilometers and a circumference of over 100 kilometers.

The huge caldera contains the town of Aso and several volcanic peaks, including Nakadake, whose spectacular, active crater is easily accessible to tourists by toll road or ropeway.

Note that the crater area is often partially and sometimes completely closed off to visitors due to poisonous volcanic gases. Gases can be intense even when the area is open, and people with respiratory problems should refrain from seeing the crater.

Nakadake Crater

Not far from the Nakadake crater, Kusasenri-ga-hama is a grass covered plain with grazing cows and a few horses. Horse riding is possible from early March to mid December. On the opposite side of the road stands the Aso Volcano Museum.

Komezuka is a small, beautifully shaped volcanic cone on the northern slopes of Nakadake. There are pleasant walking trails in the vicinity (but not to the top) of Komezuka, however, easy access by public transportation is not provided.

Kusasenri-ga-hama

Komezuka

The Nakadake Crater can be reached in a 30-40 minute bus ride from JR Aso Station. There is one bus about every 1-2 hours. The one way trip costs 540 Yen, and is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.

Buses go only as far as Asosan Nishi Station, from where it is a short ropeway ride (820 Yen round trip) to the crater. Alternatively you can walk to the crater in about 30 minutes.

Cars can drive all the way to a parking lot just next to the crater, but must pay 560 Yen for the last kilometers, which is a toll road.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kumamoto

2007-07-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Kumamoto Castle

The capital of Kumamoto Prefecture, Kumamoto is a major city on Kyushu's west coast with a population of 650,000. The city is most famous for its castle, which is one of Japan's largest.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Nagasaki

2007-07-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

Nagasaki is an attractively situated port city on the island of Kyushu and the capital of Nagasaki Prefecture.

As one of Japan's closest port cities to the Asian mainland, Nagasaki has played a prominent role in foreign trade relations for many centuries and was the most important of only a very few ports open to restricted numbers of foreign traders during Japan's period of isolation.

In more recent history, Nagasaki became the second city after Hiroshima to be destroyed by an atomic bomb towards the end of World War II.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Dazaifu

2007-07-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Dazaifu Tenmangu

Now a small city just outside of Fukuoka, Dazaifu used to be the administrative center of Kyushu from around the 8th to the 12th century. The most famous among Dazaifu's historic sights is the Dazaifu Tenmangu, the first of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Tenjin across Japan.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Fukuoka

2007-07-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

Fukuoka is Kyushu's largest and one of Japan's ten most populated cities.

Because of its closeness to the Asian mainland (closer to Seoul than to Tokyo), Fukuoka has been an important harbor city for many centuries and was chosen by the Mongol invasion forces as their landing point in the 12th century.

Today's Fukuoka is the product of the fusion of two cities in the year 1889, when the port city of Hakata and the former castle town of Fukuoka were united into one city called Fukuoka. Hakata remains the name of Fukuoka's central district and main railway station.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kyushu

2007-07-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

Kyushu is Japan's third largest island, located southwest of the main island Honshu. An early center of Japanese civilization, Kyushu offers many historic treasures, modern cities and natural beauty.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kochi

2007-07-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday Market

Kochi is the capital of Kochi Prefecture on the southern coast of Shikoku. The city has a nice, original castle and an attractive, southern flair.

Kochi is also the proud home town of popular Sakamoto Ryoma, who played a role in realizing the Meiji Restoration and was assassinated at a young age.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Matsuyama

2007-07-19T05:34:00.000-07:00

View of the city from the castle

Matsuyama is Shikoku's largest city and capital of Ehime Prefecture. The city is most famous for Matsuyamajo, a beautiful, original castle and Dogo Hot Springs.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kotohira

2007-07-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

Kompirasan

Kotohira is a small city in Kagawa Prefecture which is famous for Kompirasan, Shikoku's most popular shrine.

Taken from ==<click here>===

Takamatsu

2007-07-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Ritsurin Koen

Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa Prefecture, Japan's smallest prefecture. The Matsudaira Clan, relatives of the Tokugawa, controlled the former castle town and surrounding region, then known as Sanuki, during most of the Edo Period.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Shikoku

2007-07-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

Shikoku is Japan's fourth largest island, southwest of Japan's main island Honshu. Shikoku is divided into four prefectures.

Taken Fro ===<click here>===

Narita

2007-07-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

Narita is a city in Chiba Prefecture, roughly 60 kilometers east of central Tokyo. The city is most famous as the site of Tokyo's international airport, which is commonly known as Narita Airport.

Narita's main tourist attraction is Naritasan, a popular Buddhist temple with a history of over 1000 years.

Naritasan makes a great destination for transit travelers who want to get a glimpse of traditional Japan or anybody else who has some excess time at the airport.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Kusatsu

2007-07-18T14:10:00.000-07:00

Yubatake

Kusatsu Onsen is one of Japan's most famous hot spring resorts, blessed with large volumes of high quality hot spring water, said to cure every illness but lovesickness.

Well known as hot spring resort for many centuries, Kusatsu's fame was further boasted by German doctor Erwin von Baelz, who served at the imperial court in the late 1800s and recommended Kusatsu for its water's health benefits.

Situated at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, Kusatsu also offers skiing in winter and hiking during the rest of the year to be enjoyed in combination with hot spring bathing.

Kusatsu is located along Japan's Romantic Road.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Kawagoe

2007-07-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

With its main street, lined by massive kurazukuri (warehouse style) buildings, the former castle town of Kawagoe has retained a certain atmosphere reminiscent of past centuries. Consequently, the city has been nicknamed "Little Edo" (Edo is Tokyo's former name).

Kawagoe is an easy day excursion from Tokyo, only half an hour northwest of Ikebukuro.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Hakone

2007-07-16T21:56:00.000-07:00

Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.

Taken from ===<Click here>===

Nikko

2007-07-15T20:05:00.000-07:00

Yomeimon at Toshogu

Nikko is a small city at the entrance to Nikko National Park. It is most famous for the Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Nikko has been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails.

Nikko and the area around Lake Chuzenji, in particular, are well known for their beautiful autumn foliage (koyo). The best times to view the leaves depends on the elevation and year: For Yumoto and Lake Chuzenji it is usually mid October and for central Nikko early to mid November.

Nikko is located along Japan's Romantic Road.

Taken From ===<click here>===

Kamakura

2007-07-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Kamakura is a coastal town in Kanagawa prefecture, less than one hour south of Tokyo.

Kamakura became the political center of Japan, when Minamoto Yoritomo chose the city as the seat of his new military government in 1192. The Kamakura government continued to rule Japan for over a century, first under the Minamoto shogun and then under the Hojo regents.

After the decline of the Kamakura government in the 14th century and the establishment of its successor, the Muromachi or Ashikaga government in Kyoto, Kamakura remained the political center of Eastern Japan for some time before losing its position to other cities.

Today, Kamakura is a very popular tourist destination. Sometimes called the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, Kamakura offers numerous temples, shrines and other historical monuments. In addition, Kamakura's sand beaches attract large crowds during the summer months.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Yokohama

2007-07-14T14:18:00.000-07:00

With a population of over three million people, Yokohama is Japan's second largest city. It is located less than 30 minutes south of Tokyo by train, and is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture.

Towards the end of the Edo Period (1603-1867), during which Japan isolated herself from the rest of the world, Western nations forced the country to open its ports to foreign trade. In 1859, Yokohama's port became one of the first ports to be openend, and Yokohama quickly grew from a small fishing village into one of Japan's major cities.

Until today, the Yamate residential area retains a Western touch and houses many foreign residents, while Yokohama's Chinatown is one of the world's largest.

Taken from ===<click here>===

Shibuya district

2007-07-14T14:12:00.001-07:00

Shibuya is one of the twenty-three city wards of Tokyo, but often refers to just the popular shopping and entertainment area around Shibuya Station.

Shibuya is one of Tokyo's most colorful and busy districts and birthplace to many of Japan's fashion and entertainment trends. Most of the area's large department and fashion stores belong to either Tokyu or Seibu, two competing corporations.

A prominent landmark of Shibuya is the large intersection in front of the station (Hachiko Exit), which is heavily decorated by neon advertisements and giant video screens and gets crossed by amazingly large crowds of pedestrians each time the traffic light turns green.

Below is a map and list of some of Shibuya's other major attractions:

Points of Interest:

Hachiko Statue
A statue of a loyal dog named Hachiko. According to a famous story, the dog waited for his master every day in front of Shibuya Station, and continued to do so for years even after his master had passed away. It is one of Tokyo's most popular meeting points.

	Tobacco and Salt Museum Introducing the history of tobacco and salt in Japan and throughout the world. Information in English is limited. The museum is operated by Japan Tobacco (JT), whose predecessor used to monopolize the production and sale of tobacco and salt in Japan.
Open daily 10:00 to 18:00, except on Mondays (if Monday is a national holiday, the museum is open on Monday and closed on Tuesday) and from December 29 to January 3. Admission: 100 Yen.

	Electric Power Museum (Denryokukan) This museum by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) introduces various aspects of electric energy, such as the process of power generation and the role of electricity in society and everyday life. Information in English is limited.
Open daily 10:00 to 18:00, except on Wednesdays (if Wednesday is a national holiday, the museum is open on Wednesday and closed on Thursday). No closing days during the summer holidays (July 20 to August 31). Admission: free.

	NHK Studiopark NHK Studiopark is a part of the NHK Broadcasting Center, which is open to the public. It gives visitors a chance to look behind the scenes of television broadcasting, including the production of a live program on most days.
Open daily 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on the third Monday of each month, except in August and December and if the third Monday falls on a national holiday, in which case the Studiopark remains open on Monday but closes on Tuesday. Closed from December 25-31. Admission: 200 Yen.

National Yoyogi Stadium
Built for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by renown architect Tange Kenzo, the stadium hosted the olympic swimming competitions. It is now also being used for ice skating and volleyball competitions, concerts and various other events.

Love Hotel Hill
This area of Shibuya has a high concentration of love hotels, which offer couples a private room for a 2-3 hour "rest" during the day (usually around 5000 Yen) or an overnight "stay" (usually around 10000 Yen).

Bunkamura
Located directly next to the Tokyu department store (main store), Bunkamura, lit. "culture village", consists of a concert hall, a theater, two cinemas, a museum with constantly changing exhibitions, and a few shops and restaurants.

Famous Streets:

Center Gai
The birthplace of many Japanese fashion trends, Center Gai is a busy pedestrian zone lined by stores, boutiques, game centers, night clubs and restaurants.

Koen Dori
Koen Dori, lit. "Park Street", is a popular shopping street leading from the Marui department store to Yoyogi Park. It was named after Parco department store (parco is Italian for park) and the fact that the street leads to Yoyogi Park.

Spain Slope
Spain Slope (Supeinzaka) is a narrow, approximately 100 meter long pedestrian street with stairs leading up the slope to the Parco department store. It is lined by boutiques, cafes and restaurants, and was nicknamed for resembling a Spanish street scene.

Tokyu Affiliated Shopping:

	Tokyu There are two Tokyu department stores in Shibuya: the main store with ten floors is located a 5-10 minute walk northwest of the station, while the Shibuya Station branch with twelve floors sits on top of the station.
The main store is open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (some floors until 19:00, restaurants until 22:30). The Shibuya Station store is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00 (some floors until 20:00, restaurants until 22:30).

	Shibuya 109 Shibuya 109 is a trend setting fashion complex for young women with more than one hundred boutiques on ten floors. Usually pronounced "Shibuya ichi maru kyu", the complex's name can also be read as "Shibuya to kyu", identifying the complex as part of the Tokyu Group.
Open daily 10:00 to 21:00 (restaurants from 11:00 to 22:30).

	Shibuya Mark City Shibuya Mark City is a small city within the city, located just next to JR Shibuya Station. It consists of a wide range of stores and restaurants, the Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, office space, a bus terminal and the terminal station of the Keio Inokashira Line.
Shops open daily from 10:00 to 21:00. Restaurants open daily from 11:00 to 23:00. Exact opening hours depend on the individual stores.

	Tokyu Hands Promoted as "Creative Life Store", Tokyu Hands has everything from do-it-yourself, interior, hobby, crafts, outdoors to stationery and more. The Shibuya store spans eight floors.
Open daily from 10:00 to 20:30. Closed on some Wednesdays.

Seibu Affiliated Shopping:

	Seibu The Shibuya branch of the Seibu department store chain consists of nine floors, featuring mainly fashion goods and some fashion boutiques. Restaurants can be found on the top and bottom floors.
Open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 (until 21:00 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays). Occasional closing days.

	Loft Loft is Seibu's answer to Tokyu Hands, also offering a large array of products related to interior, hobby, crafts and gifts, but with a slightly less strong emphasis on do-it-yourself. The Loft Shibuya branch consists of seven floors.
Open daily from 10:00 to 21:00 (until 20:00 on Sundays and public holidays). Occasional closing days.

	Parco Parco is a shopping complex with an emphasis on fashion. The complex consists of numerous buildings in the Shibuya area: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Quattro, Zero Gate and more.
Open daily 10:00 to 21:00 (from 11:00 in case of some annex buildings). Restaurants open 11:00 to midnight. Occasional closing days.

Tokyo

2007-07-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower

Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city.

Tokyo is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, but is called a metropolis (to) rather than a prefecture (ken). The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 city wards (ku), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan's main island Honshu.

The 23 city wards (ku) are the center of Tokyo and make up about one third of the metropolis' area, while housing roughly eight of Tokyo's approximately twelve million residents.

Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Kanto

2007-07-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Kanto is Japan's largest plain and very densely populated. The large metropolies of Tokyo and Yokohama are located in the Kanto Region which consists of seven prefectures.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Hagi

2007-07-13T00:33:00.000-07:00

Former Castle Town

Hagi is a former castle town, off the major transport ways, along the tranquil Sea of Japan coast in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Hagi is best known for its nicely preserved former castle town and local pottery, which ranks among Japan's finest.

Hagi used to be the capital of the Mori daimyo (feudal lords), who governed present Yamaguchi Prefecture (then known as Choshu) for more than 200 years, and played a central role in overthrowing the shogunate and bringing an end to Japan's feudal age in the second half of the 19th century.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Yamaguchi

2007-07-13T00:26:00.000-07:00

Yamaguchi is a pleasant and friendly city in Western Honshu, founded by Ouchi Hiroyo in the 14th century. Today it is the capital of Yamaguchi Prefecture, a region formerly known as Nagato (Choshu) and Suo province.

As the seat of the powerful Ouchi lords, Yamaguchi grew to culturally rival the war torn capital of Kyoto during Japan's age of warring states. As a result, the city is still known as the "Kyoto of the West".

The Mori, who succeeded the Ouchi as the local feudal lords, moved their capital to nearby Hagi, and played a leading role in the Meiji Restoration, brining Japan's feudal age to an end.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Matsue

2007-07-11T13:39:00.000-07:00

Matsue is the capital of Shimane Prefecture. It is known for the original Matsue Castle, its location between two lakes and the Sea of Japan and its former resident Lafcadio Hearn. The city is also a good base to visit nearby Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's most important shrines.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Kurashiki

2007-07-11T13:35:00.000-07:00

Kurashiki is a city in Okayama Prefecture, a few kilometers west of Okayama City.

During the Edo Period, Kurashiki was a center for storing rice harvested in the surrounding, fertile regions. Literally meaning something like "storehouse town", Kurashiki was direcly administered by the Edo shogunate for its economically strategic importance.

Several dozens of storehouses (kura) can still be found along a picturesque, tree lined canal in the historic city district, Kurashiki's main tourist attraction.

Taken from ==<Click Here>===

Okayama

2007-07-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

Korakuen with Okayama Castle in the background

Okayama is the capital of Okayama Prefecture and a major transportation hub of the Chugoku Region. The city is most famous for Korakuen, known as one of Japan's three most beautiful landscape gardens.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Miyajima

2007-07-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Miyajima (literally "shrine island") has been celebrated as a sacred island and one of Japan's three most scenic views. It is most famous for Itsukushima Shrine, which, together with its large wooden torii (gate), stands in the ocean during high tide.

Deer move around the island freely, and so do monkeys on top of Misen, the island's highest mountain.

The island becomes very romantic in the evening when the tourist crowds return to the mainland and only the visitors who stay overnight stroll the calm streets in their yukata and geta, enjoying the sight of the illuminated shrine.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Hiroshima

2007-07-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

Memorial Cenotaph in the Peace Park

Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture and the largest city of the Chugoku Region, the westernmost region on Japan's main island of Honshu. It is home to about one million people.

On August 6, 1945, Hiroshima was chosen by US armed forces as the first ever target of an atomic bomb employed over a populated area. As a result, 200,000 civilians lost their lives, and Hiroshima became a city vehemently engaged in the promotion of peace.

Hiroshima's Peace Park including the memorial museum, and the island of Miyajima (literally: shrine island), located 40 minutes from the city center by train and ferry, are among Japan's most interesting tourist attractions.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Chugoku

2007-07-10T11:21:00.000-07:00

The Chugoku Region is located in the western part of Japan's main island Honshu. It is commonly subdivided into the heavily urbanized and industrialized Sanyo region along the Seto Inland Sea coast and the much less developed, rural Sanin region along the Sea of Japan coast.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Oirase Stream

2007-07-10T11:13:00.000-07:00

The Oirase Stream is a picturesque mountain stream which starts at Nenokuchi, a small town at the shores of Towadako Lake and flows down the narrow and densely wooded Oirase Valley. A hiking trail leads along the most scenic, upper passage of the stream from Ishigedo to Nenokuchi (about 10 km).

Unfortunately for hikers, but fortunately for car drivers and bus passengers, a road runs through the Oirase Valley from which one can see much of the stream. For hikers, however, the busy road can be a distraction, even though the traffic noise is sometimes overpowered by the stream's noise and the birds' songs.

In autumn, when the many maple and other trees turn their color, the Oirase Valley becomes one of Japan's most popular spots for autumn foliage viewing.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Hirosaki

2007-07-06T20:22:00.000-07:00

Hirosaki Castle

Hirosaki used to be the political and cultural capital of the Tsugaru Region during the Edo Period, and remains one of the culturally richest cities in the northern Tohoku Region. Hirosaki's main attractions include its castle, samurai district and temples.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Kakunodate

2007-07-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

Weeping cherry trees in the samurai district

A former castle town in today's Akita Prefecture, Kakunodate is well known for its beautifully preserved samurai district and spectacular cherry blossom festival.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Hiraizumi

2007-07-06T19:32:00.000-07:00

Motsuji's Pure Land Garden

During the Heian Period (794-1185), Hiraizumi was the seat of the ruling Fujiwara clan's "Northern branch" and rivaled the capital of Kyoto culturally, politically and commercially at its peak in the 12th century.

In 1189, however, Hiraizumi was razed by Minamoto Yoritomo after the local Fujiwara supported and provided a refuge to Yoritomo's rival and brother Yoshitsune. The city never recovered to its former glory, but still features some of the Tohoku Region's cultural highlights.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Matsushima

2007-07-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

Matsushima is famous for its bay which is dotted by many pine clad islets and has been ranked one of Japan's three most scenic views. The small town is also known for Zuiganji, one of the most important Zen temples of the Tohoku Region.

Matsushima is located only half an hour by train from the Tohoku's largest city Sendai in Miyagi Prefecture.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Tohoku

2007-07-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Tohoku (lit. "North East") Region consists of six prefectures in the north of Japan's largest island Honshu. The Tohoku region is well known for its countryside, mountains, lakes, high quality rice and rough winters.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Shima Peninsula

2007-07-05T21:39:00.001-07:00

The Shima Peninsula is home to Japan's most sacred Shinto shrines, the Ise Shrines, and is a popular leisure resort area among the urban population of Nagoya and Osaka. Attractions besides the Ise Shrines include several theme parks and pearl cultivation along the peninsula's rugged coast.

The peninsula has been designated as Ise-Shima National Park for its natural beauty and cultural importance. It is located in southern Mie Prefecture, and consists of the cities of Ise, Toba and Shima and the town of Minami-Ise.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Iga Ueno

2007-07-05T21:35:00.000-07:00

In 2004, Ueno City and five surrounding towns and villages were merged into a new city called Iga City. Iga is the name of the former province, which covered part of today's Mie Prefecture. Ueno is commonly referred to as Iga Ueno in order to avoid confusion with an identically named city district in Tokyo.

Iga Ueno is most famous for ninja. The Iga school of ninjutsu (art of stealth), based in Ueno City, used to be one of Japan's two leading ninja schools during the feudal era (the Koga school in Shiga Prefecture was the other). Today, Iga Ueno attracts visitors with its excellent ninja museum.

Iga Ueno is also known as the birthplace of one of Japan's greatest poets, Basho Matsuo, who lived during the early Edo Period. A memorial museum, his birth home and a former hermitage are some of Ueno's Basho related attractions.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Hikone

2007-07-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hikone is a small city at the shores of Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake. The city is most famous for its castle, one of only four castles in Japan designated as national treasures. Hikone makes an easy and pleasant 3-5 hour stop-over (or more) on a trip between Tokyo and Kyoto.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Amanohashidate

2007-07-05T21:06:00.000-07:00

Amanohashidate, roughly meaning "bridge in the heaven", is a 3.6 kilometer long, pine tree covered sand bar, spanning across Miyazu Bay on the Tango Peninsula, northern Kyoto Prefecture. It is ranked as one of Japan's three most scenic views (nihon sankei).

The sand bar is best viewed from the hills on either side of the bay, which are both accessible by chair lift or cablecar.

To view the sand bar as a "bridge in the heaven", turn your back towards the bay, bend over and look at it from between your legs. Travelers to Amanohashidate have been doing this for more than a millenium.

At the southern end of the sand bar, which is just a few steps from the railway station, stands Chionji, a nice Buddhist temple with a small tahoto, a kind of pagoda which still resembles the Indian stupa more than the more common three and five storied Japanese pagoda.

It takes about two hours and 4,380 Yen to reach Amanohashidate from Kyoto by direct limited express train, while direct limited express trains from Osaka take a few minutes more and cost 5,240 Yen. By local trains, the trip takes more than twice as long, but is roughly half as expensive.

Japan Rail Pass users note, that the trains to Amanohashidate run on non-JR tracks (owned by the Kitakinkitango Railway) on the last 35 kilometers between Fukuchiyama and Amanohashidate. This means, that pass holders need to pay a supplementary fee of 1,480 Yen (one way) at Amanohashidate Station.

If you use local trains on the non-JR tracks instead of the limited express, the supplementary fee is 740 Yen between Fukuchiyama and Amanohashidate.

Taken From ===< Click Here>===

Yoshino

2007-07-05T20:53:00.000-07:00

Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) in Yoshino Town, Nara Prefecture, is Japan's most famous cherry blossom spot. Besides an estimated 30,000 cherry trees, the area also offers a rich history and several temples and shrines.

As the base of the pilgrimage trail to sacred Mount Omine, Yoshino has been a center of Shugendo mountain worship for many centuries. The remote town also served various historical personalities as a refuge, including Emperor Go-Daigo who established a competing second imperial court there in the 14th century.

Yoshinoyama is divided into four areas, the Shimo Senbon (lower 1000 trees) at the base of the mountain, Naka Senbon (middle 1000 trees), Kami Senbon (upper 1000 trees) and Oku Senbon (inner 1000 trees) at the top of the mountain.

Together with Mount Koya and Kumano, Yoshino was designated a cultural UNESO World Heritage Site in 2004, named the "Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range".

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Mount Koya

2007-07-05T20:43:00.000-07:00

Grave lined approach to Okunoin

Mount Koya (Koyasan) is the center of Shingon Buddhism, a Buddhist sect which was introduced to Japan in 805 by Kobo Daishi (aka Kukai), one of the most significant personalities in Japan's religious history. Over one hundred temples stand in the small town on top of the wooded mountain.

Koyasan is one of the best places to experience a night at a temple. About fifty temples in the area function as shukubo, where tourists are welcome to overnight, try shojin ryori, the vegetarian cuisine of monks and participate in the morning

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Himeji

2007-07-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

Himeji Castle

Himeji is most famous for its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle, widely considered to be Japan's most beautiful surviving feudal castle. The castle is designated both, a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site.

With half a million inhabitants, Himeji is the second largest city of Hyogo Prefecture after Kobe. It can be reached in less than one hour from Osaka or Kyoto and is also a popular stop over on journeys along the Sanyo Shinkansen.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Kobe

2007-07-05T20:39:00.000-07:00

Kobe is the capital of Hyogo Prefecture and one of Japan's ten largest cities. Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range, Kobe is also considered one of Japan's most attractive cities.

Kobe has been an important port city for many centuries. Kobe Port was one of the first Japanese ports to be opened to foreign trade in the late Edo Period, and the city remains one of Japan's more cosmopolitan cities.

In January 1995, Kobe was hit by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, which killed over 5000 people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings. A decade later, the city is completely rebuilt, and few signs of the terrible event are left.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Nara

2007-07-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

Todaiji

Japan's first permanent capital was established in the year 710 at Heijo, the city now known as Nara. As the influence and political ambitions of the city's powerful Buddhist monasteries grew to become a serious threat to the government, the capital was moved to Nagaoka in 784.

Nara is located in the Kinai plain, less than one hour from Kyoto and Osaka. Due to its past as the first permanent capital, it remains full of historic treasures, including some of Japan's oldest Buddhist temples.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Osaka

2007-07-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

With a population of 2.5 million, Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region for many centuries.

Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known.

In the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose Osaka as the location for his castle, and the city may have become Japan's capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not terminated the Toyotomi lineage after Hideyoshi's death and moved his government to distant Edo (Tokyo).

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Popular Hanami Spots

2007-07-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

Below is an incomplete list of popular cherry blossom spots across the country:

Tokyo:
	Ueno Park A few steps from Ueno Station One of Japan's most crowded, noisy and popular cherry blossom spots, Ueno Park features more than 1000 trees along the street leading towards the National Museum and around Shinobazu Pond. There is no entrance fee. Food stands are available.
	Shinjuku Gyoen 5 minute walk from Shinjuku Station Shinjuku Gyoen is a large park featuring more than one thousand cherry trees of over a dozen varieties in Western and Japanese style gardens. There is an entrance fee of 200 Yen, and the park is only open between 9:00 and 16:30.
	Chidorigafuchi Subway Kudanshita Station Cherry trees decorate the moats of former Edo Castle around Kitanomaru. There is no admission fee. Rowing boats are available for rent. Many food stands, can be found at nearby Yasukuni Shrine, where another one thousand cherry trees are planted.
	Sumida Park A few steps from Asakusa Station The park stretches for a few hundred meters along both sides of Sumida River. There is no entrance fee. Food stands are available. Hanami can also be enjoyed from boats that cruise the river.
	Aoyama Cemetery 5 minute walk from Subway Nogizaka or Gaienmae Station The straight road leading through the cemetery is lined and covered by hundreds of cherry trees. There is no admission fee. A few food stands are available.
	Koishikawa Botanical Garden 5-10 minute walk from Subway Hakusan or Myogadani Station Koishikawa Botanical Garden is a spacious park with many cherry trees and a Japanese landscape garden. It is a great place to view various cherry tree varieties. The admission fee is 330 Yen.
	Inokashira Park South of Kichijoji Station There are a few hundreds of trees in this public city park with a pond. There is no admission fee. Boats can be rented.
Yokohama:
	Kamonyama Park 10 minute walk from Sakuragicho Station Kamonyama Park is a small public city park close to Minato Mirai 21. There is no admission fee.
	Sankeien 10 minutes by bus from JR Negishi Station Sankeien is a beautiful Japanese landscape garden in southern Yokohama, exhibiting a number of historic buildings from across Japan. Admission costs 300 Yen.
Kamakura:
	Dankazura 2 minute walk from Kamakura Station Dankazura is a more than one hundred meter long approach to Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, all covered by cherry trees. There is no admission fee.
Nagoya:
	Nagoya Castle 5 minute walk from Subway Shiyakusho Station Many cherry trees are planted in the park that surrounds Nagoya Castle. The admission fee to the castle and the surrounding park is 500 Yen.
Kyoto:
	Maruyama Park Next to Yasaka Shrine Maruyama Park is Kyoto's most popular public park for cherry blossom viewing. Its centerpiece is a large weeping cherry tree that gets lit up in the evenings. There is no admission fee. Many food stands are available.
	Philosopher's Trail Starting at Ginkakuji Temple The Philosopher's Trail is a pleasant path besides a canal that connects Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) with the vicinity of Nanzenji. It is lined by hundreds of cherry trees.
	Heian Shrine Behind the main building Large numbers of weeping cherry trees (shidarezakura) stand in the garden of Heian Shrine, behind the shrine's main buildings. Admission to the garden costs 600 Yen.
	Arashiyama Northwest of central Kyoto Arashiyama is a pleasant district in the outskirts of Kyoto. Many cherry trees can be found around the Togetsukyo Bridge at the foot of Arashiyama mountains.
	Kamogawa Kitaoji Station (Karasuma Subway Line) Kamogawa is the river, which runs through central Kyoto. Cherry trees are planted in many places along the river. One of the most pleasant places for cherry blossom viewing and a picnic is in northern Kyoto, where Kitaoji Street crosses the river.
	Daigoji Temple Daigoji Station (Tozai Subway Line) Daigoji is a temple complex in southeastern Kyoto, which is part of Kyoto's designated world heritage. A cherry blossom festival is held on the temple grounds every year.
	Hirano Shrine Between Kinkakuji and Kitano Hakubaicho One of Kyoto's most famous hanami spots, Hirano Shrine is also known for the many varieties of cherry trees found on its grounds. In the evenings, the trees are lit up.
	Okazaki Canal Outside Heian Shrine Located just outside of Heian Shrine, Okazaki Canal connects the Lake Biwa Canal network with Kamo River. It is lined by many cherry trees, and popular boat tours are conducted during the hanami season.
Osaka:
	Osaka Castle Park Around Osaka Castle Large numbers of cherry trees can be found in the spacious public park around Osaka Castle. There is no entrance fee except for the Nishinomaru Garden. Food stands are available.
	Osaka Mint Bureau 10 minute walk from Temmabashi Station More than 300 cherry trees of over 100 cherry varieties, mostly later blooming yae-zakura trees can be viewed on the premises of the Osaka Mint Bureau during one week in April.
Yoshino:
	Yoshinoyama Nara Prefecture Yoshinoyama (Mount Yoshino) has been Japan's most famous cherry blossom viewing spot for many centuries. The mountain is covered by approximately 30,000 cherry trees.
Himeji:
	Himeji Castle 15-20 minute walk from Himeji Station The castle grounds of Himeji Castle are decorated by hundreds of cherry trees. Admission to the outer castle grounds is free. Entrance to the inner grounds and interior of the castle costs 600 Yen.
Tohoku:
	Kakunodate Akita Prefecture The city of Kakunodate is famous for its weeping cherry trees, which decorate the city's well preserved, former samurai district. Another few hundred cherry trees stand along the nearby river.
	Hirosaki Castle Aomori Prefecture Over 2000 cherry trees are planted in the park surrounding Hirosaki Castle. Admission to the park is free. Food stands are available. Taken From ==<Click Here>==

When do they bloom?

2007-07-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

When do they bloom?

The most important factor that determines the blooming time of cherry trees is the geographical location. Basically, the milder the climate, the earlier the blossoms open.

On Japan's southern, subtropical islands of Okinawa, cherry blossoms open as early as January, while on the northern island of Hokkaido, they bloom as late as May. In most major cities in between, including Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, the cherry blossom season typically takes place around the end of March and beginning of April (see table below).

Furthermore, the blooming time differs from year to year depending on the weather. If the weather during the months and weeks preceding the cherry blossom season is mild, blossoms will open early. If it is cold, blossoms will open later. From year to year, the start of the blooming season can vary by as much as plus/minus two weeks.

How long do they bloom?

The cherry blossom season is relatively short. Full bloom (mankai) is usually reached within about one week after the opening of the first blossoms (kaika). Another week later, the blooming peak is over and the blossoms are falling from the trees. Strong wind and rain can cut the blooming season even shorter.

Cherry blossom forecasts

Every year, the Meteorological Agency and the media is closely following the so called "cherry blossom front", as it slowly moves northern wards. Note, that the front indicates the opening of the first blossoms (kaika) rather than the arrival of full bloom (mankai).

Of course, not every tree in a city opens on the same day, as trees in shadowy places, for example, bloom several days later than trees in sunny places. That is, why a set of representative sample trees is selected to define the date of kaika (the opening of the first blossoms) for a whole city. In Tokyo, the sample trees are located at Yasukuni Shrine.

Average blooming dates

The dates below indicate the average dates on which cherry trees open their first blossoms for selected cities, and the dates on which they opened in the previous two years. Remember that full bloom is usually reached within about one week from the date the first blossoms have opened.

City	Average Year	2007	2006	2005
Sapporo	May 5	May 4	May 8	May 10
Hakodate	May 3	April 30	May 7	May 1
Sendai	April 12	April 6	April 13	April 14
Tokyo	March 28	March 20	March 21	March 31
Yokohama	March 28	March 23	March 21	April 2
Nagoya	March 28	March 23	March 26	March 31
Kanazawa	April 6	March 29	April 6	April 7
Kyoto	March 31	March 25	March 27	April 2
Osaka	March 30	March 27	March 28	April 3
Nara	April 1	March 27	March 29	April 2
Kobe	March 30	March 30	March 27	April 3
Hiroshima	March 29	March 22	March 22	April 3
Takamatsu	March 30	March 28	March 27	April 1
Matsuyama	March 28	March 23	March 24	April 1
Fukuoka	March 26	March 21	March 23	March 29
Kumamoto	March 24	March 23	March 20	April 1
Kagoshima	March 26	March 30	March 20	April 3
Naha	January 19	January 23	January 13	January 19

The data is according to the Japan Meteorological Agency and refers to Somei Yoshino cherry trees, except in the case of Sapporo (Ezoyamazakura) and Naha (Hikanzakura).

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

How to do hanami?

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Hanami literally means "flower viewing", however, it commonly refers only to cherry blossom viewing. Cherry blossom viewing is easy: Simply enjoy the intensity of the many blossoms by looking at a single tree or a group of trees. From a distance, the trees appear as beautiful clouds, while the beauty of single blossoms can be enjoyed from a close distance.

Cherry blossoms are also especially beautiful in combination with a castle, temple or shrine. In some places the blossoms are lit up in the evening, which makes an amazing sight.

Hanami can be just a stroll in the park, but it traditionally also involves a picnic party under the blooming trees. Hanami parties have been held in Japan for many centuries, and today are held in public and private gardens and parks across the country. Famous cherry blossom spots can get very crowded, and the best picnic spots are hardly fought after.

In especially popular places it is common practice to reserve a picnic spot long before the party is held. The typical praxis is to spread one's picnic sheet early in the morning and either mark it with the group's name and party's starting time or to have somebody positioned there during the whole day until the rest of the group arrives after work.

Most spots in this park are taken before 8am.

Reserving a spot in Tokyo's Ueno Park.

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

cherry tree varieties

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A large majority of cherry trees in Japan are of the Somei Yoshino and Yamazakura varieties. But in total, over one hundred cherry tree varieties can be found in Japan.

There are several characteristics that differ between the various cherry tree varieties. Some of the obvious ones, that can also be easily recognized by beginners, are listed below:

Number of petals:
Most wild trees, but also a lot of cultivated tree varieties have blossoms with five petals. However, some species have blossoms which consist of more than five petals, such as ten, twenty or more. Trees with blossoms of more than five petals are called yaezakura.

5 petals
(e.g. Oshimazakura)

about 20 petals
(e.g. Ichiyo)

about 100 petals
(e.g. Kikuzakura)

Color of the blossoms:
Most varieties produce lightly pink to pure white blossoms, but there are also cherry trees with dark pink or slightly yellowish blossoms. The color of the blossoms of some varieties is also changing while they are in bloom, from white to pink, for instance.

white blossoms
(e.g. Shogetsu)

pink blossoms
(e.g. Kanzan)

yellowish blossoms
(e.g. Ukon)

The fresh leaves:
In case of early blooming trees, the fresh leaves usually do not appear until after full bloom, which gives the trees an attractive, homogenous look while they are in full bloom. In case of later blooming trees, the leaves usually appear before the blossoms, giving the trees a more heterogeneous look. Furthermore, the color of the fresh leaves differs between the varieties. In most cases, the fresh leaves are green, coppery brownish or something in between.

Time of blooming:
Most cherry tree varieties carry blossoms in spring. However, there are a few varieties, which bloom in late autumn and during the winter months. Yaezakura, i.e. cherry trees with blossoms of more than five petals, are typically the last ones to open their blossoms, about two to four weeks after most five-petaled species. Read more about when cherry trees are in bloom.

Form of the tree:
Cherry trees display various growing habits and come in different shapes and forms: triangular, columnar, V-shape, weeping, flat-topped, etc. Weeping cherry trees are called shidarezakura.

Some cherry tree varieties, found in Japan, are listed below. The blooming periods shown refers to the situation in Tokyo.

	Somei Yoshino (Yoshino Cherry) late March, early April Cultivated during the Edo Period, the Somei Yoshino is by far the most numerous cherry tree in Japan. Somei Yoshino trees come with slightly pink, almost white, 5-petaled blossoms.
	Yamazakura late March, early April Yamazakura is a wild, native cherry tree variety of Japan, which typically grows in mountainous areas. The blossoms are slightly pink and have five, relatively small petals.
	Shidarezakura (Weeping Cherry) late March, early April Shidarezakura are weeping cherry trees, i.e. they have drooping branches. There are trees with blossoms of five petals and trees with blossoms of more than five petals. The latter are called Yaeshidarezakura.
	Ichiyo mid April The Ichiyo has about twenty, lightly pink petals per blossom. The fresh leaves are green.
	Ukon mid April The Ukon has about 10-20 petals per blossom and coppery leaves. Ukon trees are easily recognized by their blossoms' characteristic, yellowish color.
	Kanzan mid to late April Among the many yaezakura varieties, the Kanzan is one of the most numerous. One Kanzan blossom consists of as many as 30-50 pink petals. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
	Fugenzo mid to late April The Fugenzo is a late blooming yaezakura with about 30-40 petals per blossom. White to slightly pink when they open, the blossoms turn into a darker pink over time. The fresh leaves are coppery brown.
	Shogetsu mid to late April The Shogetsu is a late blooming yaezakura with relatively large, white blossoms of about 20-30 petals. The fresh leaves are green.
	Kikuzakura (Chrysanthemum Cherry) late April, early May The Kikuzakura has as many as one hundred petals per blossom! It is also one of the latest blooming trees. In fact, by the time the blossoms are in bloom, the fresh leaves have already developed almost completely and are somewhat hiding the blossoms.

Cherry Blossom(sakura)

2007-07-04T12:56:00.000-07:00

The cherry blossom (sakura) is Japan's unofficial national flower. It has been celebrated for many centuries and takes a very prominent position in Japanese culture.

There are many dozens of different cherry tree varieties in Japan, most of which bloom for just a couple of days in spring. The Japanese celebrate that time of the year with hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties under the blooming trees.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Kyoto

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Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion)

Kyoto was Japan's capital and the emperor's residence from 794 until 1868. It is now the country's seventh largest city with a population of 1.4 million people and a modern face.

Over the centuries, Kyoto was destroyed by many wars and fires, but due to its historic value, the city was not chosen as a target of air raids during World War II. Countless temples, shrines and other historically priceless structures survive in the city today.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Kinki(kansai)Region

2007-07-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

The Kinki Region, also commonly known as Kansai, consists of seven prefectures. It used to be the political and cultural center of Japan for many centuries. The cities of Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Kobe are all part of the Kinki Region.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Akan National park

2007-07-04T12:39:00.000-07:00

Akan National Parks is located in eastern Hokkaido. The park's main attractions are its beautiful crater lakes, hot springs and mountains, which are of volcanic origin.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Reshiri and rebun

2007-07-04T12:37:00.000-07:00

Rishiri viewed from Rebun

Rishirito (Rishiri Island) and Rebunto (Rebun Island) are two small islands near the northern tip of Hokkaido. The islands are part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park and offer beautiful hiking trails, costal sceneries, alpine flowers and small fishing villages.

Rishiri is a round island with the 1721 meter tall Mount Rishiri at its center. Due to its appearance, the dormant volcano is also known as Rishiri-Fuji. Rebun is longer and flatter than Rishiri and most famous for its wealth of alpine flowers found at sea level due to the harsh climate.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Shiretoko

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Shiretoko National Park, located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, is one of Japan's most beautiful and unspoiled national parks. No roads lead further than about three fourth up the peninsula, and the northern tip can only be viewed from boats or be reached on multi day trekking tours.

The peninsula is home to a variety of wildlife, including brown bears, dear and foxes. In winter, the peninsula's coast along the Sea of Okhotsk becomes one of the northern hemisphere's southernmost regions to see drift ice.

In July 2005, Shiretoko was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for the irreplaceable value of the peninsula's ecosystem and biodiversity.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Daisetsuzan national park

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Daisetsuzan is Hokkaido's largest national park. It preserves a densely forested, mountainous area of virtually unspoiled wilderness, which equals more than ten times the size of Osaka City. It is a paradise for hikers, outdoor lovers, deer and brown bears.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Lake Toya

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Lake Toya (Toyako) is part of the Shikotsu-Toya National Park. Besides the beautiful lake, the area offers hiking, fishing and camping opportunities, as well as hot springs and close up views of one of Japan's most active volcano's, Mount Usu (Usuzan), which most recently erupted in the year 2000.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Noboribetsu

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Noboribetsu is Hokkaido's most famous hot spring resort, beautifully surrounded by forested hills. Noboribetsu's major attraction besides its baths is the Jigokudani or "Hell Valley", where you can view (and smell) sulfurous steam vents, streams and ponds.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Abashiri

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Abashiri is a city of 40,000 people on the eastern coast of Hokkaido, not far from Shiretoko and Akan national parks. The city's main tourist attractions are its prison museum and the drift ice, which can be observed in the Okhotsk Sea during winter.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Furano and Biei

2007-07-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Furano and Biei are two towns in the center of Hokkaido, known for their pleasant and picturesque rural landscapes. The best time to visit is July and August, when many lavender fields are in bloom. During winter, the region turns into a popular downhill and cross country skiing resort.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Hakodate

2007-07-04T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hakodate is Hokkaido's third largest city, located at the island's southern tip. Hakodate is best known for the spectacular views to be enjoyed from Mount Hakodate (see picture above) and its delicious, fresh seafood.

As one of the first Japanese harbor cities to be opened to international trade after the country's era of isolation, Hakodate has experienced notable influence from overseas, and the foreign population's former residential district and a Western style fort are among its main tourist attractions.

Onuma Park, a quasi national park with beautiful, island dotted lakes, is located only half an hour north of Hakodate and is a worthwhile side trip from the city or a nice stop on the journey between Hakodate and Sapporo.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Otaru

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Otaru is a harbor city, half an hour northwest of Sapporo by train. Its beautiful canal area and interesting herring mansion make Otaru a pleasant one day trip from Sapporo or a nice stop en route to or from the Shakotan Peninsula.

Ferries from Niigata and Maizuru on Honshu arrive at Otaru Port.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

Sapporo

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Odori Park

Sapporo ("important river flowing through a plain" in Ainu language) is the capital of Hokkaido and Japan's fifth largest city. Sapporo is also one of the nation's youngest major cities. In 1857, the city's population stood at just seven people.

In the beginning of the Meiji Period, when the development of Hokkaido was started on a large scale, Sapporo was chosen as the island's administrative center and enlarged according to the advice of foreign specialists. Consequently, Sapporo was built based on a North American style rectangular street system.

Sapporo became world famous in 1972 when the Olympic Winter Games were held there. Today, the city is well known for its ramen, beer, and the annual snow festival held in February.

Orientation

Orientation
How to get to and around Sapporo.

About transportation in Japan

Taken from ===<Click Here>===

Hokkaido

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Hokkaido is the second largest, northernmost and least developed of Japan's four main islands.

Hokkaido's weather is harsh in winter with lots of snowfall, below zero temperatures and frozen seas, while in summer, it does not get as hot and humid as in the other parts of the country.

With its unspoiled nature, Hokkaido attracts many outdoor lovers, including skiers and snowboarders in the colder seasons and hikers, cyclists and campers from June to September.

Taken From ===<Click Here>===

How to get to Tokyo

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By Air - Tokyo has two airports: The international Narita Airport is located 60 km outside of central Tokyo, while the domestic Haneda Airport is located more centrally.

By Shinkansen (bullet train) - Most shinkansen lines lead to Tokyo. The trip from Osaka/Kyoto takes about three hours. There are also direct bullet trains to/from Kyushu, Nagano, Niigata and various destinations in the Tohoku Region. Please visit the shinkansen page for more information.

Basic Orientation

Tokyo is covered by a dense network of train, subway and bus lines, which are operated by about a dozen different companies. The train lines operated by JR East and the subway lines are most convenient for moving around central Tokyo.

Tokyo's most prominent train line is the JR Yamanote Line, a circle line which connects Tokyo's multiple city centers. The city's twelve subway lines are operated by two companies and run largely inside the Yamanote circle and the areas around Ginza and Shitamachi. Most of the countless suburban train lines commence at one of the six major stations of the Yamanote Line (Tokyo, Ueno, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Shibuya and Shinagawa).

Major JR train lines in Central Tokyo

The map below shows Tokyo's major railway stations and the five JR lines that are most relevant to people who travel within central Tokyo.

Yamanote Line
Circle line that connects all major city centers.

Keihin-Tohoku Line
Runs parallel to the Yamanote Line on the eastern half of the circle.

Chuo/Sobu Line
Runs across the Yamanote circle (local slow service).

Chuo Line (Rapid)
Runs across the Yamanote circle (rapid service). Connects Tokyo and Shinjuku.

Saikyo/Rinkai Line
Rapid service parallel to the Yamanote Line on the western half of the circle. Connects to Daiba.

Shinkansen
Tokaido Shinkansen trains stop at Tokyo and Shinagawa, while bullet trains to the north stop at Tokyo and Ueno.

Subways

Tokyo's subway network is operated by two companies, the Toei Subways with four lines, and Tokyo Metro (formerly known as Eidan Subways) with eigth lines. Together, they densely cover central Tokyo, especially the area inside the Yamanote circle and the areas around Ginza and Shitamachi.

Note, that at their terminal stations, the trains of some subway lines continue to operate on the tracks of different companies on suburban train lines. For example, the Chiyoda Subway Line is directly connected with the suburban Odakyu Line at Yoyogi-Uehara Station, and some trains on the Hibiya Subway Line continue to run on the tracks of the Tokyu Toyoko Line at Nakameguro Station.

Other railway companies

Most other railway companies, besides JR East and the two subway companies, connect Tokyo with the metropolis' outer regions and surrounding prefectures. Their lines typically start at one of the stations of the JR Yamanote Line. Many of the private railway companies also operate department stores usually at their train lines' major stations.

Tokyu Railways
Serving southwestern Tokyo and Kanagawa.

Tobu Railways
Serving Saitama and Tochigi.
Connection to Nikko.

Seibu Railways
Serving the Tokyo Tama Region and Saitama.

Keio Railways
Serving the Tokyo Tama Region.

Odakyu Railways
Serving Kanagawa.
Connection to Hakone.

Keisei Railways
Serving Chiba.
Connection to Narita Airport.

Keikyu Railways
Serving Haneda Airport and Kanagawa.

Tsukuba Express
Connecting Akihabara with Tsukuba City, Ibaraki.

Special Tickets

A whole variety of day passes is available for the Tokyo area. Day passes are sold at train stations and vending machines and are valid from the first train in the morning until the last train in the evening.

	Tokyo Free Kippu (1580 Yen)
	Unlimited use of all subway lines (Toei and Tokyo Metro) and JR trains in the central Tokyo area on one calendar day. It is also valid on buses and streetcars operated by Toei.

	Toei and Tokyo Metro One-Day Economy Pass (1000 Yen)
	Unlimited use of all subway lines (Toei and Tokyo Metro) on one calendar day.

	Tokyo Metro Open Ticket (1-day: 600 or 710 Yen; 2-day: 980 Yen)
	Unlimited use of the eight Tokyo Metro subway lines, but not the four Toei subway lines. A regular one day pass costs 710 Yen, while a tourist version is available for 600 Yen (one day) and 980 Yen (two consecutive days). The tourist version is only available at Narita Airport and through travel agents across Japan except in Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Saitama, Yamanashi, Gunma, Tochigi and Ibaraki Prefectures.

	Toei One-Day Economy Pass (700 Yen)
	Unlimited use of the four Toei subway lines, buses and streetcars on one calendar day. It is not valid on the eight Tokyo Metro subway lines.

	Tokunai Pass (730 Yen)
	Unlimited use of JR trains in the central Tokyo area on one calendar day.

	Holiday Pass (2300 Yen)
	Unlimited use of local and rapid JR trains in the greater Tokyo area (including Yokohama and Kamakura) on one calendar day. It can only be used on Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays and certain holiday seasons. Click here for more details.

Prepaid cards don't give you any discounts, but they make the process of taking trains easier, as you do not always need to buy a ticket before riding a train.

	Suica and PASMO
	Suica and PASMO are prepaid IC cards, that can be used interchangeably on most trains and buses in Greater Tokyo, including JR trains, subways and other non-JR trains. They can also be used on JR trains in the greater Sendai and Niigata areas and in place of the Icoca Card on JR trains in the Kansai region. Read more about how to use Suica and PASMO.

The Japan Rail Pass is valid only on JR trains, however, it cannot be used on subways or any other non-JR train.

Taken From ==<Click Here>==

Harajuku

2007-07-04T11:18:00.000-07:00

Basic Information

Harajuku Station

Harajuku refers to the area around Tokyo's Harajuku Station, one station north of Shibuya on the Yamanote Line. It is the center of Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also offers shopping for grown-ups and some historic sights.

The focal point of Harajuku's teenage culture is Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) and its side streets, which are lined by many trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets geared towards the fashion and trend conscious teens.

In order to experience the teenage culture at its most extreme, visit Harajuku on a Sunday, when many young people gather around Harajuku Station and engage in cosplay ("costume play"), dressed up in crazy costumes to resemble anime characters, punk musicians, etc.

Shops, cafes and restaurants for all ages are found along Omotesando, a broad, tree lined avenue, sometimes referred to as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees. Omotesando Hills, a recently opened shopping complex along the avenue, has been attracting particularly lots of attention.

However, Harajuku is not only about teenage culture and shopping. Meiji Shrine, one of Tokyo's major shrines, is located just west of the railway tracks in a large green oasis shared with Yoyogi Park, a spacious public park. Beautiful ukiyo-e paintings are exhibited in the small Ota Memorial Museum of Art.

Famous Streets:

	Takeshita Dori The symbol of Harajuku and birthplace of many of Japan's fashion trends, Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street) is a narrow, roughly 400 meter long street lined by shops, boutiques, cafes and fast food outlets targeting Tokyo's teenagers.
Shops along Takeshita Dori tend to be open daily from 11:00 to 20:00.

	Omotesando Referred to as Tokyo's Champs-Elysees, Omotesando is a one kilometer long, tree lined avenue, serving as the main approach to Meiji Shrine. Numerous stores, boutiques, cafes and restaurants, including several leading fashion brand shops, stand along the avenue.
Shops along Omotesando tend to be open daily from 11:00 to 20:00.

Shopping:

	Omotesando Hills Opened in February 2006, Omotesando Hills with its intriguing interior design, consists of six floors (three of them underground) of upmarket shops, restaurants, cafes and beauty salons. Several apartments are located on top of the shopping complex.
Shops are open daily from 11:00 to 21:00. Restaurants until midnight.

	Snoopy Town A wide array of Snoopy goods is sold in this store, located directly across Harajuku Station.
Open daily from 11:00 to 20:00.

	Daiso Harajuku - 100 Yen Shop This is one of the largest 100 Yen Shops in central Tokyo, offering a wide array of goods, including clothing, kitchenware, food and stationary on multiple floors at 105 Yen per item. It is located only a few steps from Harajuku Station along Takeshita Dori.
Open daily from 10:00 to 21:00.

	LaForet Harajuku LaForet Harajuku is a trend setting shopping complex, consisting of seven floors of fashion boutiques and shops, mainly geared towards a young, female audience. The LaForet Museum on the top floor hosts various events and exhibitions.
Open daily from 11:00 to 20:00.

	Oriental Bazaar This is one of Tokyo's largest souvenir shops, very popular among foreign travelers in search of typical Japanese souvenirs, such as kimono, tableware, lamps, dolls, furniture and samurai related goods. The shop spans four floors.
Open from 10:00 to 19:00. Closed on Thursdays.

	Kiddy Land This is one of Tokyo's most famous and popular toy stores. Located along the Omotesando, it offers six floors filled with all kinds of toys from electronic games to stuffed animals. Many major toy brands, including Disney, Barbie and Hello Kitty are present.
Open daily from 10:00 to 21:00.

	Louis Vuitton The Louis Vuitton Omotesando store was opened in autumn 2002 as the company's largest store. The public store makes up five of the building's ten floors, which are designed as a stack of trunks rather than conventional floors.
Open daily from 11:00 to 20:00.

Other Attractions:

	Meiji Shrine more details Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu) is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. The buildings are surrounded by a beautiful, dense forest.
Free admission.

	Togo Shrine Togo Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to Admiral Togo, who defeated the Russian fleet in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. The Togo Antique Market is held around the shrine on the first Sunday of each month.
Free admission. The market is held on the first Sunday of each month from 5:00 to 15:00. Not held under bad weather conditions.

	Ota Memorial Museum of Art The small and elegant Ota Memorial Museum of Art exhibits selected ukiyo-e paintings and prints from the vast collection of the late Mr. Ota Seizo, which comprises of more than 10,000 pieces of art. Exhibits are changed every month.
Admission: around 700 to 1000 Yen, depending on the exhibition. Open 10:30 to 17:30. Closed on Mondays (Tuesday if Monday is a public holiday), from the 27th to the last day of each month and from December 11 to January 3.

	NHK Studiopark NHK Studiopark is a part of the NHK Broadcasting Center, which is open to the public. It gives visitors a chance to look behind the scenes of television broadcasting, including the production of a live program on most days.
Open daily 10:00 to 18:00. Closed on the third Monday of each month, except in August and December and if the third Monday falls on a national holiday, in which case the Studiopark remains open on Monday but closes on Tuesday. Closed from December 25-31. Admission: 200 Yen.

Yoyogi Park more details

Yoyogi Koen (Yoyogi Park) is one of Tokyo's largest and most pleasant city parks, featuring wide lawns, ponds and forested areas. It is a great place for jogging, picnicking and other outdoor activities.

How To get There

Harajuku is a station on the JR Yamanote Line, two stations south of Shinjuku and one station north of Shibuya (130 Yen from either station).

Harajuku is also served by the Chiyoda Subway Line, which stops at Meijijingu-mae Station, next to JR Harajuku Station and provides a direct connection to Otemachi Station (15 minutes, 190 Yen) near Tokyo Station.

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