Japan has always been a country we dreamed of visiting. It was simply a matter of time and opportunity. So when the time finally came we were absolutely ecstatic! Now looking back we are so proud of being able to visit and experience this amazing country as a family. It is one of the most important trips we ever did! Japan changes you in various ways. You get a different perspective on life, culture, and society.

We stayed for about two weeks. We landed in Tokyo. Stayed there for a few days and moved to Hakone for one night. Then to Kyoto from where we did various one-day trips. The final destination was Osaka from where we flew back home. This will be a summary of the entire trip. For more details on the specific locations click on the “read more” link next to it.

Tokyo

Hard to describe Tokyo in a few sentences. If we have to I would say that it is a magical city. We tried to explore it as much as we could and the crowds allowed. The streets were almost all the time full. The metro and train stations were an insane super organized madhouse! Everything just works. Everything is on time and life does not stop for a second. We stayed mainly in the Shinjuku District. That was the most optimal since the hotel was right next to the metro/train station which we utilized for every day trip we went on. / read more

Hakone

After the few day trips, we did from our hotel in Tokyo next on the list was Hakone. We stayed in a traditional Japanese ryokan hotel where the rooms were in their tatami style setup. We wanted to truly experience the culture and we absolutely loved it. The food was amazing and we never needed anything more than what we had in the room. We also had in the hotel one of the many hot springs (also known as onsen) on the island which we truly enjoyed. If you have a chance to experience it do it. It is a very similar experience to Iceland and its Blue Lagoon. / read more

Kyoto

Our second “base” was Kyoto and from here we did a series of day trips to various landmarks and must-see places. The city itself is beautiful and if you stay in a hotel close to the train station you can really visit a ton of places quickly. Everything in Japan is connected via the train line. Or at least almost everything. We visited here the famous Fushimi Inari shrine and many others. We also dressed in traditional Japanese clothing while exploring the city as many Japanese people do. It was tons of fun! / read more

Tsukushima aka Miyajima Island

Miyajima was a day trip from Kyoto and it is 30 mins ferry ride from Hiroshima. We spend most of our time that day in Miyajima and enjoyed the amazing views and food there. Island has so many traditional Japanese buildings, shrines, and little shops that even one day felt hard enough to see everything. / read more

There are many souvenir shops, tiny restaurants, and various attractions. Just offshore, you can see the giant orange Great Torii Gate. The gate marks the entrance to the Itsukushima Shrine, built in the 12th century.

Osaka

Another day trip we did from Kyoto made us realize that Osaka needed a lot more time than one day to be truly appreciated. Just exploring the amazing Osaka Castle requires more than half a day so we ended up spending most of ours there and around it :). / read more

Kobe

Our Kobe experience did not start great. The day we visited the city it was raining, windy and cold. We walked under the rain from the train station around the city until our reservation time was up for an authentic Kobe beef experience. After which no one cared about the weather, the wet clothes, or the cold. We thought we had an idea what a high-quality steak was but we were wrong. So … so … wrong. Nothing we have tasted before came close to this. Truly amazing! / read more.

Nara

Our last day trip was to Nara from Kyoto where we spent the majority of the day exploring the Kofuku-Ji Temple and the surrounding areas. This is also where we had the best shrimp udon soup by far. The temple was quite busy but its sheer size and layout make it a great place for pictures. There are deers everywhere in Nara. They are considered the “messengers of the gods” and if you visit Nara Park you can feed them and pet them as much as you like. / read more

Overall Japan was an adventure we will remember for the rest of our lives. We liked it so much that we are planning to visit again the first opportunity we get!

Here is our second video compilation of the trip. We hope you enjoy it:

Book Similar Top Rated Adventures

The post Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun appeared first on Alexiev Arts.

There are three parts of Tokyo: Western, Central, and Northern. We strategically stayed at the western side and our hotel was 5 mins from the absolute busiest train station in the world, the Shinjuku Station (used by an average of 3.64 million people per day)! The location was very convenient since it was right in the middle of the Shinjuku district where you could find tons of busy restaurants, shops, and anything you can imagine.

Lodging

If you need to plan something properly when visiting Japan that one thing would be your train travel. Everything (or almost everything) is connected either via train or metro. We had our hotel right next to the station so we can do day trips easily and it worked nicely. The hotel we stayed at and one we can honestly say that was good and well priced was Hotel Gracery Shinjuku. It is actually located in one of the tallest buildings in that area which also hosts a bunch of good restaurants and a movie theater.

Logistics

We did what everyone online recommended, we bought two weeks Japan Rail Pass (JR). It was for the most part good advice. For some of the day trips, however, we had to buy other tickets so have that in mind. It is not one “Multi-Pass” for all. Every afternoon we would plan the next day travel-wise. Figure out the train schedule etc. Everything runs so efficiently and on time always that it makes you question the reality you live in. We tried to travel with the so-called “bullet trains” as much as we could. They are called Shinkansen.

Things to See

As you can imagine in such a big city with so much culture and history there are a lot of things to see. We initially just enjoyed walking around the city and experiencing the vibe and cuisine. Not that you can have enough of that but when we needed a break we visited some of the more recommended and well-known attractions.

Senso-Ji Temple

This was one of the main attractions we knew we had to visit. It is known as Asakusa Kannon and it is considered the most sacred and spectacular temple in Tokyo. The locals were all dressed in their national kimonos and everyone is taking pictures. If you for a second thought that in your country selfies are everywhere you should go to this temple. Japanese youth loves selfies and their phones! The temple is huge and provides plenty of great places for pictures. The only issue is that it is super crowded and taking a picture with just you or your family will be a challenge. Overall we highly recommend this place. The old-style buildings and the atmosphere are something to be experienced. Everywhere everything is full of color, history, and good emotions. For more information, you can also visit the temple’s official website.

Ueno Park

This was one of the main places we really wanted to visit due to all the pictures and stories we have heard about its beauty. It did not disappoint! We were a week early for the cherry blossoms there but everything else was beautiful. The park hosts four museums: Shitamachi Museum, The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Tokyo National Museum and Ueno Royal Museum, few Pagodas the Ueno Zoo as well as various other attractions. Plan to come back at-least-once if you want to see everything this place has to offer. There are also a good amount of street food places everywhere as well as places to sit, rest, and enjoy the atmosphere.

Tokyo International Forum

The forum was actually designed by the American-based Rafael Vinoly company and was completed in 1996. It feels brand new and it looks impressive inside and out. It is huge! From the inside, all you see is glass and metal shapes around it. It just looks unreal and it is hard to imagine how exactly it was built by people. The forum is packed with various restaurants, huge conference rooms, etc. You can learn more on the forum’s official website.

Getting to it is a great experience as well since you walk through a business district filled with various interesting buildings, parks, and stores. If you are close by the forum make sure you also stop by the Tokyo Station located close by. It was also designed to have a western-style facade and it is a great place for pictures.

Imperial Palace

Although we were lucky to get amazing weather and worry-free travel we were not so lucky when it comes to the palace. At the time we were there it was closed and we were only allowed in the area around it. Since those areas are next to the palace they were quite beautiful and filled with cherry blossoms and other trees. Overall this place is a must-see even if you cannot get inside the palace perse.

Tōshō-gū Shrine – Day Trip to Nikko

We did a day trip to the Tosho-gu Shrine which surprised us with its size and amount of details everywhere. It is an extremely impressive sight. Every building is decorated in so much detail that you really need to stop and pay attention to enjoy them. Take your time this place is magnificent.

Together with Futarasan Shrine and Rinnō-ji, it forms the Shrines and Temples of Nikkō UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 42 structures of the shrine included in the nomination. Five of them are designated as National Treasures of Japan, and three more as Important Cultural Properties.

Other

These are just a few of the places worth visiting. Tokyo is such a cosmopolitan city that you can write entire books on what, where, and when to see and experience. Some worth mentioning: Tokyo Tower (which will test your patience). Kabuki-za Theather, Kitanomaru Park, Koishikawa Korakuen Garden, and many many more.

Tokyo at Night

We stayed less than a week in Tokyo but one thing that would remain with us for a very long time is how alive this city was at night. The lights flashing everywhere, swarms of people around you, bars and restaurants packed and everyone just embracing this organized chaos. It is absolutely something to experience and see!

Overall it was an absolute dream come true for us. The city left such a lasting impression on us that the first opportunity we get … we are going back 🙂

Book Similar Top Rated Adventures

The post Tokyo, Japan appeared first on Alexiev Arts.