16 DAYS IN JAPAN
April 2019
James and I took our last trip together before the wedding this summer by having as many experiences as possible in a short visit to Japan. 16 days is no short escape, but it is when dealing with Japan. Many things were organized ahead of time, such as the ‘where’ and and ‘when’. Beyond that, we stumbled upon a lot of activities and restaurants by listening to locals and other travellers. In my opinion, you’ll need do your own research, and do some stumbling of your own. There’s so much a person can explore there, so I won’t tell anyone that this is what they should do. However maybe this will help inspire a few decisions, if you’re planning your own escape.
Our adventure started and ended in Tokyo. The city is enormous and has a lot to offer; staying in two different neighbourhoods can help you see more of it without spending too much time on the Subway. One of our highlights was a Bugaku lesson, booked through one of Airbnb’s Experiences. This gave us an authentic one-on-one interaction with locals, while learning a rich part of Japanese history. And you get to handle real Samurai weapons!
A short flight to Kagoshima later, we were getting ready board a jet foil to Yakushima Island. Visiting Yakushima inside of a two week trip was a commitment, as it’s located off of the Southern tip of Japan. However it was high on our priority list and thankfully Japan is very easy to get around (even with the language barrier). Yakushima island looks incredibly similar to Kauai, and was the inspiration for Princess Mononoke! It’s flooded with mossy green forests, volcanos and beaches.
James’ sister Tammy joined us from Nagoya, and was super keen to plan our hike through the centre of the island. We drove ourselves up to Kigensugi, entering the Yodogawa trail from there. We trekked to the top of Mount Miyanoura-Dake (the highest point of the island at 1936m), descending to a one night stay in the Shin-takatsuka hut. We ended the hike at the Arakawa Mountain trail entrance. The hike was a challenge, so if you aren’t an experienced hiker you should give yourself all the daylight hours you can. We passed quite a few older Japanese people on these trail, which can make you think that it’s easy getting up to the top. But I learned quickly that they are just incredibly more fit that I am! The views will be worth every painful muscle you experience after.
We read that the huts could accommodate roughly 40 people, and aren’t typically that occupied. Unfortunately we arrived an hour after sunset and a large hiking group was ahead of us! We looked forward to getting comfortable in a roomy hut at the end of a long journey, with a relaxing dinner before bed. We ended up tip toeing into a quiet, dark and very full hut! I managed to laugh the whole thing off when we finally claimed the last few square inches of the floor. When else will you be this far from home, experiencing those sights, and getting ‘lulled’ to a restless sleep by 8 snoring sleep-talking strangers. All kidding aside, I regret nothing! At 4:45am the hut was bustling like the interior of a beehive. Every one of our neighbours had hit the trail again by 5:45am, giving us a couple extra hours alone. The second day was mostly downhill and easier than day 1. Highlights on the second day included some very ominous mist, the largest tree on the island, Jomon-Sugi Cedar, and Wilson’s stump, where we ate lunch… inside of it.
Macaque monkey sightings aren’t rare on the island’s ring road, namely the West stretch. They love to hang out in clusters right in the middle. I highly recommend renting a car so that you can pull over on the shoulders and have a close encounter! Be cautious though, those shoulders are there to help traffic as it’s very narrow, and the monkeys can feel threatened if you get too close. Ohko no Taki Waterfall is beautiful, and close to the road. It’s also very close to the parking lot, incase you’re tired of hiking.
It was time to see more of Japan’s urban playgrounds! Next up was 24 hours in Hiroshima. You’ll absolutely want to experience the Peace Memorial Museum. You’ll get a vivid history of the nuclear blast that devastated the Japanese people in 1945. It’s a small but elaborate exhibition including artifacts and very poignant visual aids. When you step outside, you’ll have a much different view of the space around you, which is essentially the epicentre of the explosion. I won’t forget how I felt that day.
Our next 24 hour visit was Osaka, a huge contrast to Hiroshima. The city is essentially a Japanese Las Vegas; full of shopping, restaurants, bars, arcades, neon signs, and manga fanatics. It was visually stimulating, and full of crowds! It wasn’t my favourite place, being that I’m not a party girl, but hugely worth it. Osaka is renowned for it’s street food. I should mention that I can’t eat seafood, so this may be much more gratifying for you. But don’t worry about me, I ate my weight in gyoza’s on this trip.
I was very excited to spend an extra night at our next destination, Kyoto. As well as see Nara, which we stopped at on the way. Formally the capital of Japan, Nara is now known for the Tōdai-ji temple, gardens, and deer that roam between the crowds, looking for biscuits. They are far from shy, especially if you decide to buy them treats.
Kyoto. I may go as far as to say this was my favourite city on the trip. If I were to choose a city in Japan to live in, this would be my home. The city has a modern centre, full of shopping departments, restaurants and a healthy nightlife. Across the canal you’ll find yourself in Gion, the Geisha district. Gion is a labyrinth of narrow streets, artisanal boutiques, galleries, restaurants, gardens and temples. Crowds can be overwhelming, but you can understand why everyone is there. As for souvenir shopping in Japan, if I were you I would save most of yours for Kyoto.
We finally found some relaxing with Tammy at her place in Nagoya. She managed to get us tickets to a Dragons (Nagoya) vs. Swallows (Tokyo) baseball game. Baseball is an extremely popular sport in Japan and worth seeing, the crowd can get wild. It’s also a great way to feel less like a tourist, you won’t find quite so many of those in Nagoya. The Sakae district is great for shopping/eating afterwards.
Japan is worth every dollar that you can afford to spend. And make sure to throw in a Shiatsu massage here and there to sooth those aching feet.
I’ve included many useful facts and recommendations below the gallery.
