My Japanese adventure started on a dark and cold February night, while contemplating the fairy tale snow set outside. It would have been almost impossible not to dream of blossoming pink cherry trees and flavored teas, served according a ceremony kept sacred for hundreds of years. Then, an offer on plane tickets to Tokyo via Doha turned up in my mailbox, and by midnight I was the proud owner of a round trip to the end of the world. Certainly, 7 days in Japan aren’t by far enough for what the country has to offer, but it is a friendly option, both on budget and vacation days. After the five hours flight to Doha, a short layover and another ten hours of flying, I finally stepped for the first time on Japanese soil, an island situated at approximately 10 000 km away from Europe.
It was mid April, an excellent season to enjoy the magic of the pink cherry blossom. Actually, the cherry trees blossom in Japan differently from region to region, starting in March in the South of the island until beginning of May, in the Northern lands. Japanese are so passionate about it that they actually publish a very accurate forecast of the blossoming and also place street signs leading to the most wanted cherry blossom spots. But these are not your regular cherry trees, the kind you might find in your lovely country garden, they can be white to intense pink, some grow fruits, others don’t, and some even look like willow trees.
When I landed in Tokyo, it was after midnight and there were no trains from the airport to the area of the rented apartment. There were of course trains to other neighborhoods in the city, but I chose to take a taxi instead. A decision I quickly regretted since the cost of the trip was 10 000 yen – 100 euros, which suddenly raised issues of survival for the next 7 days on the established budget. In Tokyo, there are of course many options for accommodation and prices are similar to western Europe, sometimes even lower. I thought it was a great idea to rent a one bedroom apartment from a resident, the price was similar to a three star hotel but it also gave me the opportunity to live like a Japanese for a few days. Well, apartments are rather small in Tokyo, with a one bedroom apartment measuring less than 20 m2. The apartment featured a tiny bedroom with no window and space to fit only a futon bed, traditional on-the-floor mattress, a living area with sofa, a cooking hob and sink, a bathroom and a balcony, everything sparkling clean and lovely decorated in a modern Japanese style. As for confort, where else can you find heated toilet seats and automatic flushing toilets in every house ? Since the train infrastructure is very well developed, you will probably hear the trains passing by all day long from 5 AM to 11 PM. From your bed, in your apartment, of course.
Tokyo is a modern city, with skyscrapers, but also a city who learned to keep nature close by maintaining the green in the urban landscape everywhere. Even in the central areas, crowded by default, they managed to establish surprisingly fresh areas, where you can find again the pleasure of walking under the shadow of lovely trees, just like in a park. In Shibuya, among tall buildings and many bright lights, you can find the most crowded crossroad in the world with as much as 2500 people crossing every 60 seconds. But also in Tokyo you can relax and enjoy tea served in a traditional manner with a small desert at the floating pavilion in the Hama Detached Palace Gardens. For a full city view, feel free to go up the amazing Tokyo Skytree tower, the second tallest structure in the world after Bhurj Khalifa (Dubai), with 634 m.
Shinto and Buddhism are Japan’s two major religions. Buddhism was introduced from the mainland in the 6th century and is practiced by 35% of the population, while Shinto dates from the beginning of the Japanese culture, but currently is being practiced by only 3 or 4 % of the population. There are many temples spread along different neighborhoods, but perhaps the one attracting the highest number of visitors is Senso-ji Temple, a Buddhist temple situated in Asakusa, a bohemian area also holding the biggest traditional market with lots of artcraft and souvenirs. Another temple with a special history is Yasukuni shrine, a Shinto temple built to honor the Japanese warriors who fell in the line of duty, a total of aprox. 2.5 million people, men, women and pets.
From Tokyo, I took a day trip with a local agency to the famous Mount Fuji, the sacred mountain of Japan. As it was spring, we could only go up until the 5th station, which is actually at 2300 m above sea level, as the road ahead was blocked by heavy snow, covering entirely the top of the mountain. Mount Fuji has a total altitude of 3776 m and is an active volcano, the last eruption happening in 1707. There are many stories and legends surrounding the symbol mountain of Japan, one of the most popular regarding an Emperor who was love sick over a girl from the moon and therefore ignited the underground fires of the mountain.
Leaving Tokyo, I embarked the high speed train called Shinkansen to Kyoto, former capital of the Japanese Empire for almost 1000 years. The train takes you at the average speed of 320 km/h in approximately one hour and a half, and the price of a return ticket is about 100 euro. However expensive this might seem, it is probably the best option to travel the 452 km from Tokyo to Kyoto.
A totally different vibe from Tokyo, the old city of Kyoto has no skyscrapers or subway, but holds a few areas with well kept traditional houses, discretely updated to provide maximum of confort. I was lucky enough to rent for a decent price one of these houses and spend four days either drinking tea in the tatami area or sleeping upstairs in the futon bed. Early in the morning, you would walk down the street among small shops and see the owners taking the merchandise out for the day or you would even ride the bus along elderly ladies dressed in traditional kimono style. Kyoto is the place to find the old and mysterious Japan, full of history and legends. In my search for all these, I stepped into a sixteen century palace – Nijo Casle, I saw the tall rooms surrounded by glass paravans and a magical garden full of blossoming cherry trees. Then, I took an evening walk down the Old town, Gion, with many restaurants set in wooden houses guarded by red lanterns.
In the morning, I went to a kimono rental shop and let the wonderful Japanese ladies there dress me up in the most traditional way, including hairstyle and make up. I was of course one of the most off topic kimono girls that have ever wandered the streets of Kyoto, but it was too much funt to pass the opportunity.
But perhaps one of the most impressive things to see in Kyoto, that I almost missed from lack of time ( got there at about 8 PM) is the Fujimi Inari Shrine. I had seen of course a few temples in Tokyo and Kyoto and I didn’ t think this one would be much different. But Fujimi Inari is not just a shrine, it is an entire complex built on a mountain, it is a spiritual test for the believers and for the rest, well, it represents the best place for a high view over the city. The test consists of a maze that you have to go through on your way to the top of the mountain, and only a strong faith will lead you forward. But I won’t go any further, to spoil your surprise.
Somewhere to the North of the city lays the largest bamboo forest in Japan, Arashiyama, where you can take a walk to enjoy the dizzineess of the heights. Nearby, there is a monkey sanctuary on top of a montain, where animals run free along people, and at the bottom, a lively area with shops and restaurants.
From Kyoto, you can take a few day trips to several points of interest in the region. For an option, you can visit Nara Park, a Buddhist temple from the 8th century, which holds a huge golden Buddha statue and a park with more than 2000 deer, walking freely among people.
Also close to Kyoto, there is the city of Osaka. Osaka Castle, as well as Himeji Castle, in the area, are two masterpieces of war architecture in Japan, with the last one being described as the most beautiful castle in Japan. But Himeji Castle is in fact so good looking because, by the time the construction was over, in the region had already started a period of peace, which lasted almost four hundred years, until World War II.
In Kobe, you can step on the longest suspension bridge in the world, Akashi Kaikyo, with a lenght of 1991m, which was completed in 1998, and connects the city of Kobe to Iwaya on Awaji Island.
To conclude my Japanese story, I must confess that for 7 days I had o constant menu of sushi, not one of my favorites to be honest, but rather acceptable for the bargain price of 4 euros/ lunch. The truth is, you can never have too much rice, especially when the desert consists of boiled rice wraped in sweet scrambled eggs.
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