October, 2014
Tokyo Skyline with Tokyo Tower in Lights
You will probably start in Tokyo and if you don’t you’ll want to at least visit. As the largest urban area in the world with 37 million people calling it home you might be intimidated to navigate it on your own but it is far more manageable than you’d expect. The signage is well done, the metro exits are well labeled with nearby attractions which is very important because a busy station like Shinjuku has 200 separate exits. Should you really need help there are people that speak English at virtually all the information kiosks for trains, metros and tourism offices.
If you are recovering from a fun cross the date line flight then ease into the flow and avoid the metro during rush hours. I would recommend getting a PASMO card which works similar to other metro systems where you add money to your PASMO card using cash or credit and then you are able run it over the pay sensors at metro stations and in the case of the PASMO cards they can also be used at stores, vending machines. and a host of other pay points. Then pick a destination at the end of one of the lines and venture out. I think that you’ll find both the metro and the Japanese people clean, polite, punctual, and efficient. Metro stop announcements are done in Japanese and English in Tokyo.
Then start exploring. Unless you have a month I’m pretty sure you don’t have enough time to take in everything Tokyo has to offer. So pick and choose things that interest you – if you like to shop then you can shop, if you like to eat you’ll never get to all the street stands, hole-in-the-walls, and restaurants available in a month of Sundays. There are shrines to visit, temples to see, fascinating neighborhoods and well-done museums. I only wish we had more time or had more energy to explore the nightlife scene.
Below you will see our itinerary – we attempted to group sites in the same area on a given day to save on travel time and frustration. Yes there is a Metro but there is also a lot of stairs to climb and passageways to walk – wear comfortable shoes and make a plan of attack instead of zig-zagging through the city from site to site. We stayed near the Imperial Palace Grounds pretty much in the center of the city, our nearest Metro stop was Hanzoman.
Traditional Wedding at the Mejei Jingu shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo
Day 1 – Travel – Day 2 – Shibuya neighborhood, Meiji-Ji Shrine, Harajuku neighborhood – Takashita Dori (Street), Omotesando Street, Imperial Palace garden grounds, Shibuya at night for Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu dinner at Nebezzo.
Imperial Palace garden grounds
Shibuya at night
Day 3 – Asakusa neighborhood – Senso-Ji, Sumida River Cruise, Roppongi neighborhood – dinner at Ippudo Ramen Restaurant
The Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate) at the entrance to Senso-ji
The five-storied pagoda of Senso-ji
The Hozōmon (Treasure-House Gate) of Senso-ji
Day 4 – Day trip to Kamakura – Train to Kamakura, Shrine of Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, Kotokuin (Great Buddha of Kamakura), lunch on Komachi-dori Street. It was raining hard and my bum knee was killing me and so we missed – Hokokuji Temple (Takedera Temple), Hasedera Temple, and Kenchoji Temple among other sites. We ate dinner at a noodle shop near the hotel.
Great Buddha of Kamakura – 2nd largest in Japan – 30 ft. tall
Day 5 – Rained lightly all day and night. Edo Tokyo Museum, Walked through the Rogoku area – Sumo Stadium, Sumo Statues. Evening went to Shinjuku Station – Memory Lane \ Piss Alley Yakatori stands.
Outside the Sumo Stadium in the Ryogoku Sumo District of Tokyo.
Memory Lane aka Piss Alley. Yakitori stalls and tiny bars under the train tracks near Shinjuku station, Tokyo.
Day 6 – Tsukiji fish market, Sushi breakfast, Shinkansen train to Kyoto
Stage One – Tuna being unloaded at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo.
Stage Two – to the butcher at the Tsukiji fish market.
Stage Three – sushi for breakfast at the Tsukiji fish market.
Day 6 – Shinkansen train to Kyoto, Nishiki Market. Yakatori restaurant nearby for dinner.
Nishiki Market
Day 7 – Arashiyama Sagano Bamboo Forest, Tenryuji Zen Buddhist Temple, Kameyama-koen Park, Monkey Park, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shinto Shrine. Evening – Gion and Pontacho Districts.
The Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, Kyoto
Kyoto is one of the most photogenic cities I have visited in my thirty years of travel. We caught the early Fall and it was gorgeous and so I imagine later in the Fall and the cherry blossom Spring are both spectacular.
Fushimi Inari Taisha – an important and picturesque Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto.
Kyoto is small in comparison to Tokyo with only a population of 1.5 million but you get the feeling that Kyoto embraces their differences compared to busy Tokyo.
Japanese macaques at the Arashiyama Iwatayama Monkey Park in Kyoto.
Day 8 – Kinkaku-ji – The Golden Pavillion, Ryoan-ji Temple and Zen Rock Garden, Kitano-Tenman-gu Shrine and Flea Market (market open on the 25th of the month only), Kiyomizu-dera Buddhist Temple, Yasaka-no-to Pagoda. Evening – Pontacho District, Kaiten Sushi, Hello Dolly Nightclub.
Kinkaku-ji – The Temple of the Golden Pavilion – Kyoto – the top 2 floors are completely covered in gold leaf.
Girls in traditional kimonos, Kyoto
Street scene with Pagoda, Kyoto
Day 9 – Day Trip to Nara – Train to Nara, Kōfuku-ji Buddhist Temple, Nara (Deer) Park, Tōdai-ji, Buddhist temple and the Great Buddha, The Grass Hills Mount Wakakusayama, Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine. Evening – Yakatori restaurant nearby for dinner.
Tōdai-ji – The Eastern Great Temple – The Great Buddha Hall in the city of Nara
And inside the hall is the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha – 49 ft.
Kasuga-taisha Shinto shrine in the city of Nara – known for its many bronze and stone lanterns.
More Kasuga-taisha Shinto shrine
More Kasuga-taisha Shinto shrine.
Day 10 – Train to Osaka, Osakajo Castle, Fly to Naha, Okinawa.
Osaka Castle and puddle reflection.
Osaka Castle with young couple posing for their wedding photos in traditional dress.
Osaka Castle and moat.
Day 11 – Boat to Zumami, Furuzamami beach, Ama beach. Evening – walked around Kokusai dori (International Street), dinner at Sushi restaurant.
Furuzamami beach on Zamami Island, Okinawa – stunning.
Bridge near Tomari Wharf, Naha Okinawa
Day 12 – Okinawa Prefectural Museum & Art Museum, Shurijo Castle, Okinawa Peace Memorial Park, Ginowan Tropical Beach. Walked around Kokusai dori and ate at Okinawan restaurant.
Courtyard at Shurijo Castle from the days of the Ryuku Kingdom in Naha, Okinawa
The Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum – dedicated to the causalities of the World War II Battle of Okinawa.
Day 13 – walked around Kokusai dori, visited Makishi Public Market, took bus to Ginowan Tropical Beach. Evening – visited food shops in mall for dinner.
Day 14 – Fukushu-en Chinese Garden, Makishi Public Market for lunch, Tsuboya Pottery area. Evening – dinner with an Okinawan family.
Fukushu-en Chinese Garden – Naha, Okinawa
Garden in the Tsuboya Pottery area of Naha, Okinawa.
Day 15 – Travel home – fly from Naha to Tokyo, Tokyo to Portland.
Julia collects cat figurines but showed great restraint during our trip. She only added three to her collection.
Great info and photos