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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Japanese love to slurp noodles when eating. It’s just the culture of eating here and not considered to be rude at all. Just be prepared to hear some unsavory sounds when you are with any Japanese people who are eating noodles. Maybe you can try slurping as well!
On this day Japanese people celebrate the adulthood of those who reach twenty between April 2nd of the previous year and April 1st of the current year.It is at this age that Japanese become full citizens and are given the right to vote.Each city or town has its own ceremonyThose who have attended the ceremony in gala, women are dressed in long-sleeve Kimono or suits and men wear montsuki-hakama, men’s formal kimono, as well as suilts.This holiday used to be January 15th every year, but has recently been changed to second Monday of January.
Okonomi-yaki is a common food usually associated with central Japan but widely available everywhere. It is like a thick pancake batter with a meat, seafood and vegetables (whatever combination you like) cooked by you on a griddle at the table. It is served with small spatulas which you use to cut pieces of the patty and place them in your mouth. Most often, this dish comes lathered with a citrus based sauce and a lot of mayonnaise, plus some flakes of dried fish. Like a lot of Japanese food, this can be quite salty, but when properly prepared, quite tasty. Small, neighborhood restaurants can specialize in okonomi, but as it is a very common food often served after the bars close, these are not usually lavish establishments as seen in the picture. Okonomi is quite heavy as far as Japanse food goes, and a sitting will probably give you more than enough calories to last the day even if you...
Photos 1 and 4: From 26 Dec, the Western decorations go down and the Japanese decor goes up for about one week. At least they don't stay up for months like in the former case. Anyway, the bamboo designs are inspired by the traditional twin "Kadomatsu" stands made from Bamboo and Pine branches which are placed at either side entrances during this season (even though sometimes they are not at an entrance).Photo 2: The addition of the sake barrels of "furumae zake" (free-for-all sake) are the typically business merchant's version of the Shinto-origin "shimekazari" decorations of lobster, bitter oranges, fern and seaweed. Private home versions usually don't have the large sake barrel. The free-for-all distribution times varies, but mostly depends on being at the right place at the right time.Photo 3: Roseamano's original version of the "Kagami-mochi" round rice cake home decoration, in which...
Kagura is a sacred song and dance for god, and is a Japanese word referring to specific type of Shinto theatrical dance with roots arguably predating those Nho.Once strictly a ceremonial art derived from kamigakari (oracular divination) and chnkon (sprit pacification), kagura has evolved in many directions over the span of a millennium.
Omamori is generally made of small piece of wood, paper or cloth on which the name of god or a special invocation is written.It is consecrated to invite good luck and to keep off evil sprits.People usually carry it with them in a talisman bag or put it on the gate, the entrance, or a pillar in the house, or even hang it inside a car.People buy it at shrines or temples for different specific purpose, such as safety from traffic accidents, success in entrance examinations, protection from illness and disaster and the prosperity of one’s business.
Onsen means the hot spring.Most Japanese love bathing in onsen, and many believe that the water can cure certain ailments.There are many volcanoes around Japan especially Kyushu region, and therefore many onsen.Each onsen is said to have its own healing property.Onsen resorts or hotels either use water from an actual spring or they boil mineral water.Onsen resorts have opened all over the country, and many hotels have outside bathes offering spectacular view.Public baths are also very common in Japan.They generally have Jacuzzis, garden baths, and saunas.At both onsen and public baths, people actually wash their bodies before getting into the water.It is bad manners to use soap or towels in the bath itself.
You have to be really out in the boondocks to not have a 24 hour convenience store nearby.The vast majority of places have beer 24/7, and you can always find a ready made meal there as well as most daily necessities.The 'combini' was a godsend during my bachelor days!
These differ depending on the part of the country, varying from the traditional ones to fairs.The fairs tend to have plenty of good food and drink at cheap prices and a bit of entertainment.I always enjoy checking these out, particularly the eating and drinking side of things.
We took the high speed bullet train from Narita to Tokyo. The interior was like a airplane only with larger seats. When two of the bullet trains pass one and other at speed, looking out of the window was like watching a movie. You could see right through the passing train and make out details in the station. The trip back by train took less time than driving.
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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