Top Japan hotels
Etiquettes and Behaviors Tokyo
52 Reviews Don't be daunted by the huge crowds using the trains in Tokyo. We have all seen how packed the trains are either in photos, in media, etc. No worries, they have a cool system! While there we have not...
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Visiting Temples and Shrines Kyoto
41 Reviews It's tradition but a lot of visitors of the temple miss this local custom! There is a covered fountain fronting the gate of the Ginkakuji Temple. The water fountain has a bamboo scooper where you...
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food & specialities Osaka
8 Reviews Our hotel room was included breakfast and when we checked in the receptionist ask if we want to have standard western breakfast or Japanese breakfast? Common, we have "normal" breakfast all over the...
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Tradition Tokyo
33 Reviews On a beautiful Saturday in March, we decided to visit General Nogi's house and its attached Shinto shrine. The General was a count who was involved in the battle for Port Arthur, losing many of his...
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Geisha and Maiko Kyoto
12 Reviews In Gion at a Geisha bar. Again, this was only possible via an introduction. The Geisha were more sophisticated than the Maiko. They focused on the male members of our party. I asked a friend who often...
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etiquettes / behaviors Osaka
10 Reviews In the streets you will at some places see trees that are lighted at night, that looks quite funny and romantic. It has nothing to do with christmas, because we had been there in March. We had 3...
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Speak / Learn Japanese (Nihongo) Tokyo
9 Reviews This is the bare minimum to get you by as a tourist. Not enough to live on by any means, but at least it's better than grunting and pointing! - ko-re o kudasai = this, please (good when looking at...
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Language Kyoto
7 Reviews The Kyoto dialect (Kyo-kotoba) is quite distinct from standard Japanese and other dialects. Because it developed in the ancient capital, the feeling it gives Japanese people when they hear it is one...
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culture & history Osaka
11 Reviews There are many interesting classes you can take in a wide range of traditional Japanese arts and crafts. Such things as ikebana (flower arranging), traditional dance, taiko drumming, tea ceremony,...
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People Tokyo
33 Reviews Vending machines seem to be in breeding overdrive in Japan. I heard one source say there were over six million and still going strong. I think they would only work in a society that is on the whole...
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Public Restrooms Kyoto
5 Reviews Most of the bathrooms in Japan (just the local ones not those in luxury hotels and upclass shopping malls), are not equipped with papertowels to wipe hands. By having a wash cloth in your pocket will...
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language Osaka
4 Reviews OSAKA DIALECT: Osakaben is a special dialect spoken by the people of Osaka. Some of the commonly used terms are as follows:mo-karimakka Hi! How are you doing? ohayo-okaeri Have a nice day! o-kini...
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Street Scene Tokyo
19 Reviews I was intrigued to see some workers reinstalling the stanchions around planting beds. I had to take a photograph of the stanchions, because they struck me as quintessentially Japanese -- an attention...
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Gardens Kyoto
7 Reviews Maruyama Park, at the eastern end of Shijo-dori, behind the Yasaka Shrine, becomes a busy and festive place in spring. The many cherry trees there are a riot of blossom and centre-stage stands a giant...
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castle Osaka
2 Reviews The old classic Japanese construction and architecture is obvious very local. However, OSaka is very large business modern city, there is not much about temples and history to see with the exception...
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Religion Tokyo
19 Reviews Before visiting a shrine in Japan, you should purify your body. Here, at the Meiji Shinto Shrine, you should take a ladel of water, swish it around in your mouth, and spit it out, preferably not into...
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Festivals Kyoto
4 Reviews Gion Matsuri is held annually in Kyoto and is probably one of the most famous festival in all of Japan. It is on during the entire month of July and the Yama-boko Junkō, which is the parade with...
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Have you ever seen this before? Tokyo
14 Reviews The Japanese obsession with automation, astronomical land prices and sense or order all come together when you look at car parking. There are a good number of these giant vending-type machines all...
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Infrastructures Tokyo
18 Reviews Most guides will advise buying Yen before you go to Japan to cover initial expenses but then buying more once there as there is a better exchange rate in the country itself. You also avoid the...
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Japanese Style Room / House Tokyo
1 Review If you get the chance, there is nothing that beats putting up a night at a traditional inn or RYOKAN. There are quite a few within Tokyo city, but those that offer better facilities and a more...
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OK, I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, and this seems to be very popular in the far east and mostly in Japan, I mean, using your cell phone or any mobile device none stop and live just about everywhere, you see people walking, cycling, in restaurants & cafe's, in the train and subway, just about everyone seems to be on-line chatting or playing some on-line games.
Kirin is a big company in Japan making many other drink products as well. One of the interesting drinks we like was this mixture of grape fruit juice, lemon juice and gin, I assume ;-)In Finland we have such traditional drink which is very popular and including in my local custom tips in Finland.
As we continue to explore Japan we found more and more interesting beers along our way, some famous more then others, among other beers we tasted were: Sapporo, Yutak & others as seen in the images included.
Kirin Beer was probably my favourite in Japan. We had it is many restaurants and sometimes just from the shop. Their lager beer is excellent when served very cold as draft and they had also Kirin Classic.
OK, so now it is the beer part of Japan. It was somehow a surprise to note everywhere we went out or restaurants that not only beer is served everywhere, but also that everyone is drinking it. So one of the most famous Japanese beers was this Asahi which is also exported and can be found in many countries outside Japan. We had Asahi few times in several places and images included.
Japan fashion is as modern as any western country as well as they have their old traditional customs. By no means, do not miss understood or be confuse by this, Yes, Japan is also liberal but it is also in a way traditional and the society is still very traditional and somehow conservative in its own way.
One thing I notice in Japan which is not very common in most of Europe is that when you are in a cafe or restaurant they often serving you cold water without even asking for it. That custom is very nice especially during the summer months when it is very hot and humid outside, it is nice to have a cold glass of refreshment before you start to look and the menu and getting your cold beer ;-)
Japan can very rainy at the time so many will use umbrella or have it with them when hanging around in the cities. In many public places, shopping centre, hotels, museums they will have an umbrella locker, a practical way to leave your umbrella outside to dry while you are doing your shopping.
japan as being in the front line of technology has an amazing toilets with interesting functions that I was not aware of all what it it might be able to do or not to do. But this is not very helpful, some things you still have to do on your own :)
In Japan you take off your shoes when entering into a home. This custom is also used in the Ryokan style hotel where traditionally they will provide you with shoes when entering. Note that when going to toilet you should change your shoes from the home shoes to the toilet shoes.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Tokyo
7 Reviews and 526 Opinions Most memorable
Hotel Granvia Kyoto Kyoto
6 Reviews and 743 Opinions We stayed 3 nights at Kyoto Granvia Hotel from Feb. 27 to Mar 1, 2008. We paid Yen 17,600 per night,...
The Ritz-Carlton Osaka Osaka
1 Review and 353 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Japan attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Japan sightseeing.
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Q: Hi there, Will arrive in Tokyo, Narit Airport for a layover and wanted to take advantage of seeing something. I will arrive at...
A: youre lucky to be arriving so early, so you will likely pass through immigration fairly quickly. lets still count with an hour just in case. you can either take the...
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