The subtleties of Japan. Holidays in Japan
We continue to consider the features of tourism in the Land of the Rising Sun. In order not to seem to everyone and everyone in this country as an ignorant “red-skinned barbarian”, who visited this wondrous land, you should know the rules and be able to follow them. In continuation of the previous article, we will tell you about the intricacies of the life and culture of the mysterious Japanese people.
The level of tourist safety in Japan is perhaps one of the lowest in the world. Of course, you should not forget about the elementary safety rules and precautions that are typical for all countries. Here it’s worth just remembering that foreign languages in Japan are not very favored and you will be incredibly lucky if you meet a person who speaks more or less tolerably English language. However, the locals will quickly fuse the lost tourists to the police, and the duties of the latter include the delivery of noisy ignorant foreigners to hotels. Also, all the inscriptions in the subway and buses are duplicated in Latin. It does not help much, but at the very least you can navigate.
A few words about the seasons. The climate in Japan is divided into 4 traditional seasons and 2 rainy seasons. In winter, the islands are usually dry and above freezing. Snow falls in the mountains. Spring begins with plum blossoms (usually March) and lasts until the start of “bayou” (plum rain) - the summer rainy season. So, if you want to watch the legendary, many times sung sakura blossom, try to get to Japan exactly by the beginning of the month of April. The rainy season begins and lasts differently in different parts of the country. Summer is a really hot season that lasts until September, when the autumn wind finally brings coolness. Autumn is the most comfortable time of the year in Japan, in my opinion. It is important to remember that there are no “cheap” or “low” seasons in this country (as, for example, in Egypt or Turkey). At any time of the year, prices for most services for foreigners remain the same. Therefore, plan your trip according to your climatic and weather preferences.
Now about Japanese cuisine. The most popular, of course, are 3 products: rice, fish and algae (how else on the islands?). Hence the most famous Japanese “sushi” and “sashimi” (the Japanese themselves say “sushi” and “sashimi” and many of them do not pronounce the letter “sh” at all). In general, everything that one way or another floats in the sea near the islands indiscriminately turns into these same sushi and sashimi. Another interesting thing is the Japanese soup “miso”, “tempura” (fried fish in a special way) and the Japanese national barbecue - “kushiyaki”.
In all cafes and restaurants - full service with smiling polite staff. True, they speak only in Japanese, but that's okay. There is, of course, European cuisine, however, it is European only in appearance. Well, but full service. To compete with the level of service in all (I emphasize, in all) service establishments of the Land of the Rising Sun, perhaps, the Orekhovo Hotel in Moscow with its 4 hundred hotel rooms and trained staff. Well, it doesn't matter. Be that as it may, it seems to me impossible to have a good rest in Japan without complete communion. And this means no European cuisine and everything else “Western”. Only local food, local hotels, local baths transport. Then a trip to Japan will remain unforgettable.
Many tourists dream of seeing the Land of the Rising Sun, and those who succeed, remain impressed by the perfect trip for a long time. Japan is incomparable Asian country She is so unique and mysterious. And for every tourist who has been here, it opens in its own way, generously endowing with unforgettable emotions. Holidays in Japan can be very different. Some people come here to stroll around bustling and mega-modern Tokyo, while others, on the contrary, like the contemplative and beautiful Fujiyama volcano and no less penetrating Japanese temples and pagodas. After the sad events in 2011 at Fukushima (recall, due to a strong earthquake there was an accident at a nuclear power plant), the flow of tourists to Japan has noticeably thinned out, but today we can confidently say that the situation has changed for the better.
In order not to be left without a long-awaited vacation in Japan, plan a decent vacation budget in advance. A trip to the Land of the Rising Sun will have to spend an order of magnitude more compared to, for example, Thailand or Vietnam.
You can plan a vacation in Japan at almost any time of the year, because there is always something to do and see. So, in winter, tourists flock to the local ski resorts. The most famous of them are Naeba, Furano, Hakuba and Hokkaido. The height of the slopes and the infrastructure on the Japanese ski slopes are in no way inferior to the winter European resorts. Arriving in Japan the day before new year holidays, don't miss the grand parade in Tokyo and the ice festival in Sapporo. With the onset of spring, holidays in Japan become even more popular. Still: a beautiful sakura turns this country into a large flowering garden. Such a trip is best combined with a visit to the famous thermal springs and balneological resorts in Japan. There are spa centers both in Tokyo and other cities. These are, for example, the famous resorts of Atami, Hakone, Ibusuki. Staying here even for a short time, you will return home rested and full of energy.
Holidays in Japan
Summer holidays in Japan are chosen by beachgoers and go closer to the sea - to the islands of Okinawa. A long and tiring flight will be instantly forgotten as soon as you find yourself on the coast and stay in cozy and modern resort hotels. And the impeccable service provided in all hotels will finally relax you. By the way, it is good to have a rest here with the whole family: interesting leisure and a number of entertainments (water parks, dolphinarium) await not only adults, but also young tourists. You can sunbathe on Japanese beaches in early autumn, but be prepared that the weather can let you down, and the sun will be replaced by coolness.
But at this time (to be more precise, in October), you can diversify your vacation in Japan by visiting the literally burning fire festival, which is held annually in Kyoto.
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In order not to be left without a long-awaited vacation in Japan, plan a decent vacation budget in advance. Why? A trip to the Land of the Rising Sun will have to spend an order of magnitude more compared to, for example, the same Asian Thailand or Vietnam. But no matter what the costs are, they cannot be compared with the baggage of emotions and impressions with which tourists return to their homeland after a holiday in Japan. Finally, about the nuances of organizing a trip. All foreign tourists require a valid visa to enter the country. This, of course, is not a Schengen or an American visa, which is sometimes very problematic to obtain, nevertheless, it is better to deal with this issue as early as possible before the desired travel date.
As practice shows, tourist visas in Japan can actually be issued in one to two weeks. If running around the embassy offices with a pile of documents is not your element, entrust this issue to your travel agency.
Today I will tell you about how to take and go to Japan. This is a wonderful country, about which I have already written a lot in my blog. And now I offer you a simple guide with which you can organize your own trip. If you like to plan your own trips, but are more accustomed to traveling around Europe, this post is for you - here I will explain what to see on your first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
And if you've been to Japan before, scroll through this text to make sure you haven't missed anything. Or vice versa give me advice!
There are many links to other posts that describe in more detail certain aspects of a trip to Japan. But I tried to build this post as simply as possible to give a general idea of how to ride for the first time. If you have friends who are going to Japan, feel free to send them to read this post, and if you yourself are not ready yet, but would like to go in the future, it is better to bookmark it for the future!
My friends here often ask me: "I'm going to Japan for the first time. Where should I go there? What to see? How is the security? Internet? English?" I also put together this post so that in the future they could just give a link! (Yes friends, this is for you!)
When is the best time to go to Japan?
I visited Japan in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and I am happy to say that any season - good time to visit this country. At the end of July and in August it is hot here, if the heat is not your thing, then it is probably better to choose some other time.The main tourist seasons are (usually at the beginning of April), and (at the end of November). These are approximate numbers for Tokyo and Kyoto. During these two periods, Japan is incredibly beautiful, but because of this, there will be many tourists everywhere, and many hotels will be booked in advance.
Summer is a great time to go if you're walking (I did it at the very end of June, a few days before the official season opens). And winter will give you the opportunity, this is also a very beautiful sight.
If it doesn’t work out for so long, then in general it doesn’t matter either, any time spent in Japan will make you feel that you need to come here for a longer time.
Where to go in Japan?
Most likely you will arrive at one of the airports, since this is where most international flights arrive. In addition to the country's capital, you should definitely visit, it is this city that has preserved the old Japanese culture the best.If you don’t have too much time, try to spend at least 2-3 days in Kyoto, and you’ll see how it turns out in Tokyo. If you have more time, then it is worth traveling around the country, and maybe even driving to one of the islands in addition to the main Honshu (there are four main islands in Japan).
How to move around the country?
Here you can give an unambiguous answer. You will ride trains. Japan has the most developed rail network in the world. Numerous subways and trains run inside and around cities, and for long journeys, there are those that can cover 450 km between Tokyo and Kyoto in two and a half hours!Trains run strictly on schedule, and you can get on them wherever you need to - the Japanese love for rail transport shows itself on a national scale.
True, Shinkansen are an expensive pleasure. A one-way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto costs about $100! To save money on these transfers, you should book yourself in advance JR Pass, a pass that allows you to use most trains for 7, 14 or 21 days. A seven-day pass costs about $250 (depending on the yen), and generally pays off if you go to Kyoto and ride some more shorter distances. Please note that it can only be ordered before arriving in Japan! ()
If you came to Japan for 10 days, then it is better to spend the first two in Tokyo, and then, after activating the seven-day JR-Pass, go to Kyoto and beyond. Then return back to the capital on the evening of the seventh day, when the pass expires.
And for those moments when the JR-Pass is not activated, or for private metro lines where it is not accepted, I advise you to purchase a card Suica. Suika costs 500 yen, which you can get back by returning it before you leave. Then cash is put on it, and the card is used to pay for trains, and a bunch of other things. Suiki accept more and more points, it is convenient to pay with them throughout the country.
Unlike JR-Pass, Suika can be picked up upon arrival in Japan, at any railway ticket office. Do not forget to put money on it, and it will greatly facilitate your trip.
And is it safe there? Am I not lost?
Safely. Don't get lost. All train stations have excellent navigation, and there are signs to the main attractions. And in cities where tourists often come, there are information departments right at the railway stations, where they will give you a map of the area and explain in English what you can see in the area.Plus, Google Maps knows everything about Japanese streets and trains. You can click on a point on the map and Google will tell you the best way to get to it. public transport when is the next train and how much will it cost! ( .)
On top of that, Japan is one of the safest countries in the world. Nothing bad will happen to you.
Tell us about Tokyo!
Tokyo is a huge, bustling metropolis. What's the best way to watch it? Settling in its center will not work, because Tokyo has at least five different centers! Ask any resident of the city, and he will tell you that in order to properly study it, even a week is not enough! But for the first time, three days is enough for you. I wrote, which talks about how to watch them in two days!"So for two, or for three?!" you ask. "Yes!" I will answer you.
The whole secret is that upon arrival in Tokyo, you need to rent a hotel in the area Ueno- It is convenient to get here by express train from Narita Airport. Ueno is a relatively inexpensive and relatively quiet area. On your first day in Tokyo (let's say it's Friday), you can see the eastern part of it, moving from Ueno to the south, or going down to Ginza, and rising to the north. Your JR-Pass won't be valid yet, so you'll be using Suiki to get around.
And on the second day (Saturday), you will go to kamakura- one of the ancient capitals of the Japanese Empire. This is a wonderful place an hour's drive from central Tokyo, here the seashore, ancient temples and the statue of the Big Buddha. Here you can spend most of the day, and even ride.
Well, on Sunday your JR-Pass will begin to operate, you will sit on a shinkansen and go to the side. It is important to take a seat by the window on right! You don't want to miss this view:
You will return back to the capital by the evening of the seventh day (Saturday), when the railway pass will expire. And this time you will settle in the west of Tokyo, in an area named Shibuya.
If you've ever seen a picture of Japan where crowds are running through a huge pedestrian crossing, that's exactly what Shibuya is. The drive is crazy and there seems to be an endless amount of people, but it's worth spending an evening here and you will be drawn into this crazy zen. .
The next morning - it's time to go explore the western part of the city - this is the second half of my guide. We'll see the trendy district Harajuku, the shrine of Emperor Meiji, and located next to it yoyogi park. Oh, did you notice that we ended up here on a Sunday? It's not easy! It is on Sundays that they pass in front of the entrance to the park!
Well, in the evening you can get to Shinjuku, the area where it is located! After an evening spent here, you will not be sorry to fly home.
And what about Kyoto?
For a thousand years, Kyoto was the capital of the Japanese Empire. Built on the model of the Chinese capital (), it has a rectangular structure uncharacteristic of Japan. The city is located in a beautiful valley between two mountain ranges, and has retained many aspects of the cultural heritage of feudal Japan.But besides the temples, you should just take a walk along the old streets of the city. Here you will meet Japanese people in beautiful traditional clothes (most likely they are tourists, like you), you can taste the old local cuisine, and.
I advise you to settle in the area Sanjo Ohashi Bridge and spend about four days in Kyoto. No, you will not be walking around temples all this time. In Kyoto, and besides them, there is something to see. Here are just some of the nearby attractions (you can spend half a day or a whole day on each):
- with a huge wooden temple and tame deer
- - red gate sanctuary
- Arashiyama- a mountain in the north-west of the city, where the famous bamboo grove is located
- Path of the Philosopher in the northeast, cherry blossoms are especially beautiful along it, and there are many ancient temples.
About other places.
You can usually squeeze one or two places from this section into a 10-day trip. Choose! There are two directions...If you have a few extra days of JR-Pass action and want to see some more unique places, feel free to take a shinkansen in Kyoto and drive further southwest!
And between Osaka and Himeji there is also Kobe, the city that .
As you can see, there is enough choice to complete the seven-day, 14-day, and even 21-day JR-Pass. And what's great: all these places are easily accessible by trains!
What's with the money?
Perhaps it is worth saying a few words about money. Japanese currency - yen. The exchange rate is constantly changing, but one can estimate that one hundred yen is somewhere in the dollar (in fact, the yen has been cheaper lately,).You can often hear that Japan is expensive. Compared to the rest of Asia, no doubt. But if we compare, for example, with Europe, then in Japan only housing and trains are expensive, and even then not much more expensive than European ones. We have already saved on trains with the help of JR-Paz, but you will have to pay for housing if you want to live in the center of everything (I recommended such places). But if you want, you can save money here. Yes, there are many high-quality expensive things in Japan - restaurants, clothes, etc., but if you wish, you can get through here on a modest budget.
One problem is that credit cards are not accepted everywhere (especially far from cities). Cash will help us out, but there are few exchangers, and some ATMs refuse to understand Western cards. Fortunately, ATMs at 7-Eleven are ready to dispense money to tourists from Europe and America. And there are plenty of these 7-Elevens in Japan. (ATMs are not in everyone, but many are.) Also, they say there are friendly ATMs in post offices too.
Hotels? Ryokans? Apartments?
As I said, housing in Japan is not cheap. But some are more expensive than the rest. Let's look in order:Ryokans: These are classic Japanese "bedrooms", in the traditional style. Because of this, staying in them is the most expensive option. But it's very cool: you can sleep on straw mats tatami(don't worry, a mattress will be laid for you) and dress in. Many ryokan have traditional hot tubs - onsens, and the opportunity to dine the way the Japanese ate back in feudal times. In short, ryokan is total immersion. But they cost starting from $100 per person per night! Up to 4-5 people can fit in one ryokan room, although the price for each will not drop much from this, since payment is made precisely for the number of people.
Ryokan is the best place to live in Kyoto. But I advise you to book them in advance, as places in those that are relatively affordable can be occupied several months in advance.
Next we have rented apartments on sites like AirBnB. (and sometimes -!) but the price can be cheaper than comparable hotels. An apartment can be a good option for Tokyo, especially if you are traveling in a group of 3-4 people, it will be cheaper than taking several hotel rooms.
Ordinary western-style hotels in Japanese cities are quite expensive. Personally, I try to avoid these. But I love taking pictures. They are relatively inexpensive, and I love how thoughtful everything is to cram all the amenities into a small space. It is profitable to rent such hotels in small towns, where a double room can cost $60-80, or in Tokyo, where they will already cost $80-120.
In Japanese hostels I never stopped, but I know they are. Although if you really decide to save money, I would recommend you. They cost $20-$30 a night, many have great onsens, and generally a great experience of Japanese culture. The only thing is that they are usually either only male or only female (less of the latter).
Every life - food, internet, English.
Well, let's talk about a few more things that are not included in other departments:Sockets: Outlets in Japan are similar to North American sockets with two flat pins. Most plugs from the USA, Canada or China can be plugged without adapters (except for plugs where one of the pins is wider than the other). But Russians and other Europeans will definitely need adapters.
Here you go. I hope it is now approximately clear to you how to go to Japan, and what to see there. If you have questions or comments, I will be glad to them in the comments. I will also update this post as needed.