I’ll be honest, I’m not really aware of many World Heritage sites. I’m sure Canada has their share, but I wouldn’t be able to tell you what they are. I do know, thanks to the book Japan’s World Heritage Sites, that Japan has a ton of them. Maybe it’s a normal amount in comparison to other countries, but I do know it will take you a long time if you want to see them all :)
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Photo Credit: Hendrik Schicke
Just came across this article on the Forbes website on the top four day trips from Tokyo. It has a nice mix of suggestions for foodies, outdoor types, and history fans.
When you visit Tokyo, give yourself time for a day trip to explore the other facets of Japan—after all, the island is made up of 47 prefectures, each with its own slew of offerings.
Check it our here.
Photo by filmmaker in japan.
While perusing this Lonely Planet article, I discovered that it’s now possible to tour the Japanese island showcased in the James Bond movie Skyfall.
The island of Gunkai-jima (also known as Hashima-jima), about 15km from Nagasaki, served as the secret base of the arch-villain Raoul Silva in the film Skyfall. Tours leave from Nagasaki for this truly peculiar abandoned coal mining island, which resembles a giant battleship (hence the Japanese name, which means ‘Battleship Island’).
Photo by EugeniusD80 on Flickr
Himeji Castle has long been my dream location to visit. It has also proved to be on of my most elusive locations. Twice I’ve tried to visit and each time I have been unsuccessful. Once I arrived after the gates had closed and the other time the castle was completely entombed in a massive reconstruction project. It appears that the White Heron Castle has become my White Buffalo.
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Photo by Stuck in Customs on Flickr
If you are planning a trip to Japan, you are probably going on a visit that you only take once in a lifetime. While in Japan, you will want to take advantage of seeing all the top spots in the least time possible. There are not that many places in the world that have the kind of mystique that Japan does. Even though Japan has gained a lot of attention in the past few decades due to its booming economic success, there is still a lot about Japan that remains unknown. To really find out what Japan is all about, you will have to take the time out to visit the place. If you are planning on taking a trip to Japan, a great way to begin your journey is by visiting some of the top attractions Japan offers.
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Photo by Cocoarmani on Flickr
Japanese cherry blossoms (Sakura) are a famous national celebration, and crowds from all around the world come every year to enjoy spring in Japan. But there is another natural event that worth the visit; the autumn leaves colors. Leaves turn to yellow, orange, red, purple, ruby, vermilion…giving a mystic atmosphere to some places. The Japanese summer is really hot and humid, and though Japanese enjoy the summer, I have a feeling that they are impatient for autumn to start and finally being able to enjoy the autumn colors and an outdoor activity without getting a sunburn.
Photo by mrhayata on Flickr
Since most visitors to Japan are keen to stay in the thriving metropolis of Tokyo in order to experience its many attractions, as well as travel to outlying areas to see any number of historical sites in this small but long-lived island nation, people often forget that Japan has a tropical climate and that it is surrounded by the beautiful and warm waters that are present all along the Pacific Ring of Fire. So there are tons of gorgeous beaches that travelers can enjoy, many of them just as nice as what you might find at more popular beach destinations in Hawaii, Fiji, and the Philippines, for example. And here are just a few that you won’t want to miss on your next trip to Japan.
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Photo by scion_cho on Flickr
Any time you visit another country, you’re going to find yourself out of your element. Because of that, you are somewhat at the mercy of others to give you the information you need to get around and have a good time. Whether you’re looking for food, lodgings, or entertainment, you’ll have to rely on guidebooks, tour guides, locals, the concierge, and more experienced travelers to tell you where to go and what to see. But what will likely end up happening is that you will get funneled to a slew of tourist traps that are crowded with foreigners like yourself and populated with vendors selling overpriced goods.
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Photo by Yohei Yamashita on Flickr
Japans train system is most probably the most advanced in the world. They even have a mag-lev track now, on which the trains hover above the tracks instead of touching them. They use powerful magnets to levitate the trains off the track. You should seriously consider buying train tickets for their bullet trains and having a ride at astronomically high train speeds. They seriously put to shame the rides that train tickets in the UK are going to buy you.
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Playing second fiddle to its touristy neighbours Toyama and Nagano, Takayama in Gifu Prefecture in the Japanese Alps is a postcard town of Edo period beauty. A town carefully preserved, lavishly gifted with elegant old Japanese architecture and peppered with historical and cultural sites, it’s a town worth veering off the well beaten bullet train track to see.
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