Asakusa,
Tokyo
The heart of old downtown, Asakusa is one
of the few places where you can experience something of what remains
of old Tokyo. The big attraction here is Senso-ji Temple, probably
the liveliest place of Buddhist worship in all Japan. Entering
Senso-ji throuh the Raimon, you will come to the mother of all
souvenir shopping area in Tokyo. Things here, as with all tourist
markets around the world, is high. But then again, if you see
something you really like, buy it there as it should be difficult
to find another place with such a wide selection of souvenir goods.
The whole area is great for a wander: Asakusa
was once an infamous 'pleasure district', a fairground of theatre,
music and the seedier side, and vestiges of gaudiness and glamour
remain. Exiting from the left side of the Sensoji compound brings
you to the "old" part of Asakusa. Look out for the charming but
rickety amusement park named "Ohanayashiki" for some nostalgia.
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Mount Fuji
Few travelers to Japan would want to miss
this.
Fuji-san is a perfectly symmetrical volcanic
cone which last blew its top in 1707. On an exceptionally clear
day, you can see Mt Fuji from Tokyo. The views are usually best
in winter and early spring when a snow cap adds to the spectacle.
One particularly famous spot to catch a view of Mount Fuji would
be in Hakone, 2 hrs by train from Tokyo. Even though Hakone is
an interesting tourist attraction in its own right, the lake in
Hakone is particularly well known for the boat trip which offers
a majestic view of Mt Fuji on a fine day.
You can climb Mt Fuji. It is hard, but not
impossible with a little preparation and exercise beforehand.
Officially the climbing season is July and August, and the Japanese,
who love to do things 'right', pack in during those busy months.
During these periods, it is an uphill battle not with nature,
but with the unbelievable crowds which often consists of old ladies
determinedly plodding uphill. While it is not mission impossible,
always remember that the climb should be taken seriously: it's
just high enough for altitude sickness and the weather can be
viciously changeable. The best time to reach the top is dawn -
both to see the sunrise and because early morning is the time
the mountain is least likely to be shrouded in cloud. This means
either starting in the afternoon, staying overnight in a mountain
hut (expensive) and continuing early in the morning, or climbing
the whole way at night.
The quickest way to get to the Fuji area is
by bus from Tokyo's Shinjuku terminal. There's a comprehensive
bus network in the area servicing the lower hill region and the
lakes area.
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Sapporo Ice Festival
If you are in Japan during the first or second
week of February, be sure to visit Sapporo for the excellent Sapporo
ice festival.
The Sapporo Yuki Matsuri (Sapporo lce Festival),
held in. Od6ri-koen Park in early February, is probably Hokkaido's
major annual event. Since 1950 when the festival was first held,
it has developed into a mass display of snow sculptures, many
of which are very intricate buildings complete with internal illumination.
If you plan to visit at this time you should book accommodation
well in advance.
The other draw is that Sapporo is in itself
a very beautiful city, very different from the grotesque urban
settings of most Japanese cities. Sapporo is also a good springboard
into the southern Hokkaido region, which includes Otaru, a small
romantic port city, and Niseko, the best ski ground in Japan.
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Kyoto
Kyoto was the imperial capital between 794 and
1868, and when it comes to experiencing traditional Japan city life,
no other city beats Kyoto.
The Imperial Palace is one of the many sights
in central Kyoto. The present building was constructed in 1855
and can only be visited as part of a tour. The eastern part of
Kyoto, notably the Higashiyama district, merits top priority for
a visit to its fine temples, peaceful walks and traditional night
entertainment in Gion. Do not forget to visit Kiyomizu shi and
the nearby Sannen-zaka and Ninnenzaka, streets lined with old
wooden houses selling souvenirs, food and local pottery. The Sanjusangen-do
Temple is another highlight. It houses 1001 statues of the Thousand-Armed
Kannon (the Buddhist goddess of mercy). There are a number of
superb Zen temples in north-west Kyoto including Kinkaku-ji Temple,
which was burned to the ground by an obsessed monk in 1950, and
later rebuilt complete with gold-foil covering.
Stake out at Pontocho for a view of geishas
and their apprentices. They usually travel between several establishments
during a night so there is a good chance of a sighting or two.
There are hundreds of festivals in Kyoto during
the year. The most spectacular are Aoi Matsuri (15 May) which
commemorates the 6th century prayers of the people for the gods
to stop calamitous weather; Gion Matsuri (17 July), Japan's most
renowned festival, which climaxes with a massive parade; Damon-ji
Gozan Okuribi (16 August) when enormous fires are lit to bid farewell
to the souls of ancestors; and Kurama-no-Himatsuri Fire Festival
(22 October) when portable shrines are paraded through the streets
accompanied by youths with flaming torches.
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Shirakawa-Go
The Shirakawa is a village surrounded by mountains
and lies in the northwestern part of Gifu Prefecture. The village
surface covers 356.7 square kilometers which is the third largest
in the prefecture. Mountains and forests account for 95% of the
surface and the remaining 5% the cultivated land. The Shokawa
River cuts the village and along the both sides of which 16 hamlets
stretch.
Sacred Mount Hakusan or "Koshinoshirane",
dominates the landscape, showing its virile and beautiful shape
since ancient times. Villagers have worshipped Hakusan the morning
and evening. The streams from the southeastern part of Hakusan
join and become the mysterious and solemn "Hakusui-no-Taki" Falls.
The blue and clear water running through a rush ravine Ohshifakawadani,
reaches the Shirakawa River and become a part of it. The name
Shirakawa is said to have originated from this clean and blue
water since "shira" means white or purity.
In 1995 more than 670,000 tourists visited
Shirakawa to admire its Gassho style houses. Bruno Taut,very prominent
German architect who visited the Shirakawa-go(district) in 1935
praised Gassho-zukuri in his book "Rediscovering the Beauties
of Japan." The houses here with its still vivid traditional Japanese
architectural technology add an absolute and calming beauty to
the landscape.
The steeply inclined thatched roof of Gassho-zukuri
is the unique feature of Shirakawago. The whole Ogimachi-Gasshoshuraku
(hamlet) was designated as an Important Traditional Architecture
Preservation Area by the government of Japan. The villagers have
been making great efforts to preserve it since then. The hamlet
is also designated as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage in
December 1995. In 1971, the "Association for the Protection of
the Natural Environment of Shirakawago Ogimachi area" was also
launched to protect this invaluable cultural heritage that was
then in danger of imminent disappearance. In the course of the
campaign, nine Gassho-zukuri houses of surrounding area which
had been deserted or about to be demolished were brought and restored
here to be open to the public as "Gassho Mura" in 1972, which
was evolved into "Shirakawago Gassho no Sato" in 1983 after going
through some repairs and improvements and finally came to have
its current name "Gassho-zukuri Minka En (Gassho-zukuri Folklore
Park)". 25 Gassho-zukuri houses actually are there in a vast 5.8
ha forest area and visitors can also see demonstrations of the
traditional farming.
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