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 by Maline
In Nikko there are several sights to see. First and foremost is the Toshogu shrine, mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieasu, the shogun who started the Tokugawa era. Among other sights you will find the three monkeys here, the ones who "hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil".
Other sights at Nikko include the Rinno-ji temple, the Taiyuin mausoleum of Tokugawa Iemitsu, and the Futarasan shrine (which we didn't sadly have time for).
Nikko is one of the places in Japan that have been put on the World Heritage list. The mausoleum and temple area, which is close to the town itself is totally beautiful, set in a forest of high rising cedar trees. When we visited it waas raining, wich was a downer (!) but lent the area enev more of a mystic atmosphere.
The famous red bridge just before the entrance to the temple area is unfortunately under reconstruction and covered (with WHITE plastic - why not red?) thus cannot be seen.
You definitely shouldnt miss out on Nikko, and if you plan to make just a one day excursion, be sure to go really early in the morning. The attrections close in the afternoon, and after it gets dark, there is not so much to see anymore. Plus, there is quite a walk from the train station(s) to the temple area itself.
If you have time for a longer visit there are supposedly very scenic surrounding hiking trails, views over the Nikko sacred mountains, a famous waterfall and even more temples to visit.
The once famous Nikko monkeys (I encountered them back in 1992 when I also visited Nikko) have successfully been driven out of the temple premises back into the woods. Supposedly they became a bit too aggressive with the tourists who didnt want to share their portion of ice cream or something. Leave a Comment Directions: Either take the Tobu line from Asakusa to Nikko or take the Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno stations and change in Utsunomiya. Tobu is advisseable unless you hold a valid JR Rail Pass in which case the Shinkansen route will be cheaper (but longer).
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 Shibuya area in Tokyo by Maline
Tokyo has a population larger than the whole country of Sweden. Roughly the equivalence of the entire population of Sweden travels with the trains and subways here each day. You don't have to spell it out; Tokyo is pretty crowded.
As is often the case with larger cities (and here we are talking megacity) there are several downtowns rather than one special. Depending on what you are looking for, you may want to choose different destinations within Tokyo.
For a starter I would recommend Shibuya or Shinjuku. These places fulfill the foreigner's Tokyo fantasy of color, people and the likes. If you are a skyscraper junkie Shinjuku is also the place to go.
Other places of interest include Ueno (museums and quaint streets, also pachinko heaven), Yoyogi park and the Meiji shrine( the city“s lung and place of stillness), the Harajuku area (shopping mecca where all the foreigners hang out apparently), Roppongi (entertainment and embassys), Akihabara (electric town - but maybe not that many bargains if you are from another country), Kanda (bookstores and sports stores) Yśrakuchó and Ginza (expensive shopping and the international tourist office“s location).
Of course there is also much much more to see. For a great way of so to speak seeing it all at once, take the elevator up to the 45th floor of the Tokyo government Metropolitan Building in Shinjuku. On a clear day, you can even spot Mt Fuji.
Hmm, there are often clear days in megacities huh?
Anyway, the ascent and descent are free of charge and a good way to get a little perspective and an overview of the city. Leave a Comment Address: Tokyo is on the east coast of JapanDirections: Take the flight to Narita, then follow the crowd.Website: www-japan-guide.com
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 by cheesecake17
Day 1 - Land at Narita Airport and take the train to Tokyo. Rest and recover from your flight.
Day 2 - Visit Nikko and explore its complex of temples and shrines at Toshogu.
Transportation: at Tokyo train station, take the JR Shinkansen on the Yamabiko Line to Utsunomiya train station. At this station, change to the Nikko Line and go to Nikko train station.
Day 3 & 4 - Visit Hakone in Japan's famous Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
Transportation: Return to Tokyo train station and take the JR Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Odawara train station. At Odawara, you can buy the Hakone Free Pass (3 days for 4,130 yen) which gives you access to Odakyu railways, cable cars, buses, and boats. Hakone
Day 5 & 6 - Visit TAKAYAMA, a culturally rich and historic scenic mountain town.
Also, Shirakawago which contains thatched-roofed houses and is one of the most picturesque villages in Japan.
Transportation: take the JR Shinkansen train to Nagoya, and then at Nagoya take the Express train to Takayama.
From Takayama, it is a 2 hour bus ride to Ogimachi with a bus change in Makido. (If you have a JR Rail Pass, you can use it between Makido and Ogimachi and only buy the ticket between Takayama and Makido)
Day 7, 8, 9 - Visit KYOTO, the ancient capital of Japan. This city contains hundreds and hundreds of temples, shrines, gardens, as well as the old Imperial Palace.
time permitting, a one day trip to Nara is also recommended.
Transportation: take the Express train from Takayama to Nagoya, and change to the JR Shinkansen at Nagoya and take it to JR Kyoto train station.
Day 10- Take the JR Shinkansen back to Tokyo train station and take the Express train to Narita Airport.
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 Ajisai in Tsukuba by manuelEB
Hy`dran“ge`a
peop. n. 1. (Bot.) A genus of shrubby plants bearing opposite leaves and large heads of showy flowers, white, or of various colors. Hydrangea hortensis, the common garden species, is a native of China or Japan.
But, but... what you didn't know is that besides beauty, the ajisai provides the sticky matter that made possible to produce washi, the japanese eagle!!! (-; Ha! The kanjis are requiered...The japanese paper... Leave a Comment Address: all around... in less extention in Hokkaido
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 Fuji-san on a clear day fall
2004 by Maline
Try the five lakes district or lake Ashino in Hakone area for Fuji sights. If you go to Ashinoko, like we did, be sure to take the "rope-way" either there of on your way back. It's a little scary, but offers the best sights. (Rope way photo in the travelogue.)
Mount Fuji, or "Fuji-san" in Japanese is actually a dormant volcanoe, that hasn't erupted for 200 years (knock on wood). It's 3776 metres high and not only the most beautiful mountain in Japan but also the highest. It is also considered a sacred mountain, like many other mountains in Japan.
You can climb Fuji, but the climbing season is quite short, only during summer. However, if you are ON the mountain, then you don't really SEE it, so I think unless you are a climber, you are just as well off just looking at the mountain from a distance.
Supposedly you can spot Fuji from Tokyo (we vaguely saw something of it's shape from a skyscraper), however as I mentioned before, the Five lakes district or Hakone area are the best places for Fuji sights. You can also see it from the Shinkansen if you are going south from Tokyo. Leave a Comment
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 Ohhhhh, there it is!!!! :))) by PolishChick
There are two ways of doing this. Some people climb it to a mountain hut around the 7th or 8th station on the first day, sleep there and go to the top early the next day to experiance the sunrise there at around 5 or 5.30 am. Another popular way is to start climbing the mountain around 10pm from the 5th station and hike through the night to reach the summit around sunrise. Obviously, this is a more tiring way of climbing the mountain.
We climbed from around 8pm and experianced goraiko at the 9th station from a place called Fuji Hotel (I don`t know how they could call that place a hotel, they must wash their sheets once a century lol), where we had a 3 hours rest, and it was great. It turnes out that it was a very good decision. Not only we got some sleep, but also the view was amazing. From a lady who I met on the way up and who chose to climb it without any rest I know, that not only they didn`t get much of a view on the top but they literally froze up there waiting 2 hours for it. But no matter which way you choose, the sunrise at Mt. Fuji experianced with a lot of people, both foreign and Japanese is something wonderful and unforettable.... Leave a Comment
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Mount Fuji is located between the border of Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures in Chubu regions in Honshu, approximately 50 kilometres west of Tokyo. It is the highest mountain in Japan. It is also one of the holy mountains in Japan. At one time it was an active volcano which last erupted in 1708. Nowadays it is a dormant volcano.
Mount Fuji is a great tourist destination today. It attracts millions of local and foreign tourists every year. The Mount Fuji's Fifth Station is the highest spot where vehicles are allowed up the mountain. The Fifth Station is situated approximately 2,300 metres above sea level. Hotels, shops and restaurants are located at the Fifth Station. The view from the Fifth Station over the peak and the valleys are amazing and fascinating.
Temperatures are quite low even during summer. It is expected to be very windy at the Fifth Station. Spring and autum temperatures can be as low as eight degrees Celcius. Make sure you bring some warm clothings along with you! Leave a Comment Directions: Located approximately 50 kilometes west of Tokyo. Mount Fuji can be seen from Tokyo on a clear day.
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Tokyo Disneyland is located at Urayasu City, Chiba outside Tokyo. This is a 115 acre theme park which was offically opened in 1983. It is the first Disneyland theme park constructed outside USA. The theme park consists of attractions such as World Bazaar, Adventureland, Westernland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
Tokyo Disneyland attracts approximately 10 million visitors per year and is one of the most visited theme parks in the world. It opens daily between 8.00 a.m. and 10.00 p.m. A visitor to the theme park requires day passport to enter the theme park. One day passport costs 5,800 yen for adults. Children below the age of three can enter the theme park free of charge. Make sure that you visit Tokyo Disneyland when you are in Tokyo for holidays! Leave a Comment Address: Urayasu City, ChibaPhone: 05 70 05 1118Directions: Located at the city of Chiba on the outskirts of Tokyo.Website: http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp Other Contact: +81 45 683 3333
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 by hopangLeave a Comment Address: Mount Otowa, KyotoPhone: 075 55 1234
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 by hopangLeave a Comment
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