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JNTO3 COVER_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:15 Page 1
Essential
Japan
JNTO3 1 CONTENTS_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 11:00 Page 600
0
300 km
0
Hokkaido
Home to vast expanses
of unspoilt mountain
scenery and abundant
wildlife, Hokkaido is a
nature-lover’s paradise.
Its cool temperate
summers bring
spectacular blooms
of flowers while worldclass ski resorts mean
it’s also a great winter
destination.
150 miles
© Copyright Time Out Group 2013
CHINA
Asahikawa
Kushiro
Hokkaido
Chubu
The iconic sight of
Mt Fuji dominates
for miles around,
and the panoramic
mountains of the Japan
Alps provide well-worn
hiking trails in the
warmer months and
fantastic skiing
in winter. The Chubu
region is also home
to the picturesque
historic towns of
Kanazawa and
Takayama.
Sapporo
Hakodate
Tohoku
The Tohoku region has its own particular
rustic charm, with a slower pace of life,
Aomori
rich natural beauty and countless hot
spring resorts, not to mention the
friendly local people.
Kanto
Home to Tokyo, the Kanto region also
boasts cultural attractions such as the
ancient capital of Kamakura and the
impressive temple complex of Nikko,
set among beautiful scenery of lakes
and waterfalls.
S E A O F
Kansai
The cultural heart of Japan is its ancient
capital of Kyoto, with its many stunning
temples and gardens, as well in its even older
neighbour Nara. By contrast, the city of Osaka
offers a taste of vibrant modern Japan,
though it also boasts its own impressive
castle, as does the nearby town of Himeji.
Akita
Tohoku
Yamagata
J A P A N
Niigata
Toyama
Kanazawa
JAPA
Takayama
Chubu
Nagoya
Kyoto
Matsue
Kobe
Chugoku
Okayama
Hiroshima
Kansai
Sendai
Fukushima Chugoku & Shikoku
Highlights of the Chugoku
region are the city
of Hiroshima, where the
Memorial Peace Park
Nikko
is a poignant symbol of
Kanto
its tragic past, and the
nearby island of
TOKYO
Miyajima, whose shrine
N
Yokohama is one of the most
picturesque sights in
Kamakura
Japan. The Inland Sea
separates this region
from Shikoku, Japan’s
fourth largest island.
Osaka
P A C I F I C
O C E A N
Wakayama
Tokushima
Matsuyama
Fukuoka
Kitakyushu
Shikoku
Kumamoto
Nagasaki
Okinawa
Kyushu
Miyazaki
Kagoshima
Kyushu & Okinawa
The southern island of Kyushu
offers lush greenery, hot springs
and mysterious volcanic
formations. Highlights are the
charming city of Nagasaki and
the volcano Mt Aso. Further
south, the tropical island chain
of Okinawa boasts amazing coral
reefs, white sand beaches and a
fascinating cultural heritage that
is a mix between Japan and
South-east Asia.
JNTO3 1 CONTENTS_JNTO Supplement 05/03/2013 11:43 Page 1
Contents
Essential Japan
Senso-ji, Tokyo
Produced by
Time Out Guides Ltd
Universal House
251 Tottenham Court Road
London W1T 7AB
Tel +44 (0) 20 7813 3000
Fax +44 (0) 20 7813 6001
email: guides@timeout.com
www.timeout.com
Supplement Editor Cath Phillips
Contributing Writers Tom Baker,
Nicholas Coldicott, Robbie Swinnerton
Senior Designer Kei Ishimaru
Picture Editor Jael Marschner
Picture Researcher Ben Rowe
Production Controller Katie MulhernBhudia
Photography (unless credited otherwise)
Japan Ryokan Association, JNTO, TCVB,
Tokushima Prefecture
Maps JS Graphics, JNTO (Kyoto)
Front cover Osaka Castle.
TO: 2094-10-12D
Time Out Group
Chairman & Founder Tony Elliott
Chief Executive Officer Aksel Van der Wal
© Copyright
Time Out Group Ltd 2013
Tokyo
Around Tokyo
Kyoto
Around Kyoto
Nagano
Kanazawa & Gifu
Seto Inland Sea & Beyond
Okinawa
Cool Japan
Japan for Families
Winter Sports
Cartoon Culture
Annual Events
Flying to Japan
Getting Around
General Information
For Tour Operators & Agencies
2
9
11
16
17
18
19
21
22
24
25
26
27
28
30
32
36
TIME OUT ESSENTIAL JAPAN 1
Tokyo
JNTO3 2-8 TOKYO_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:21 Page 2
2 TIME OUT ESSENTIAL JAPAN
Tokyo
From futuristic skyscrapers to ancient temples.
Tokyo
ost of the clichés are true. Tokyo is a neonwrapped, hectic playground where Hello Kitty is
a deity, trains are never late, vending machines
are everywhere, and food doesn’t always lie still on
your plate. Ancient and pop culture vie for space (pop
culture usually wins), and there’s an insatiable thirst for
innovation, which means the Japanese capital always
seems a step or two ahead of your imagination.
The first time you set foot in the great entertainment
and shopping hubs of Ginza, Roppongi, Shibuya or
Shinjuku, you’ll be wide-eyed and overwhelmed. Huge
liquid-crystal screens blast a cacophony of sounds; bright
signs and adverts fill your vision. But there are also
oases of high culture and Zen-like calm, often just a few
steps from the chaos. In Ginza, for example, you’ll also
find the Kabuki-za theatre, showcase for Japan’s famous
kabuki dramas, while Shibuya is a stone’s throw from
the capital’s largest Shinto shrine.
M
GETTING AROUND
There’s no real centre to Tokyo. Rather, it’s a collection of
sub-centres, the most interesting of which are described
on the following pages. Although the greater Tokyo
metropolis sprawls over a massive area, it’s a remarkably
easy place to get around – thanks to one of the most
comprehensive and efficient train and subway systems
in the world. Japan Railways’ circular Yamanote train
line is the best way to orientate yourself. It connects
many of the city’s major districts, while other areas are
a quick subway ride from one of the big Yamanote line
hubs. Most stations have bilingual signs and rail maps,
while the metro is virtually idiot-proof thanks to its
colour-coded lines and numbered stations.
Tokyo is also a great city for walking; distances
between areas of interest make using public transport
a necessity, but exploring on foot, down tiny local streets
and along main thoroughfares, is the best way to get a
feel for the distinctive character of the city’s many and
varied neighbourhoods.
At the Tourist Information Centre (TIC), JNTO
near Yurakucho station, you’ll find friendly, multilingual
staff and a wealth of information, as well as free maps
and literature to help you make the most your time in
Japan. Free Wi-Fi is also available.
Tourist Information Centre (TIC), JNTO
Shin-Tokyo Building 1F, 3-3-1 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100-0005 (03 3201 3331). 5 mins from Yurakucho station.
Open 9am-5pm daily. Closed 1 Jan.
Tokyo
The main torii leading
to the Meiji Shrine
Ginza
Ginza is Tokyo’s smartest neighbourhood. Ladies
saunter the wide streets dressed head to toe in luxury
brands, shopping for more of the same. Politicians and
businessmen on bottomless expense accounts quaff
drinks in the company of kimono-clad bar staff. Less
affluent types simply come to dream.
For Tokyo, the area has unusually wide pavements,
which lend themselves to window-shopping, or ‘Ginbura’,
(Ginza strolling). On weekends, cars are banned from
the main street, Ginza Dori (also called Chuo Dori),
to create what is known as hokousha tengoku (pedestrian
heaven), and cafés spill out on to the road.
Tiny shops selling traditional items such as wagashi
(Japanese sweets) and go-boards sit side by side with
brand giants such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton. Foreign
retail chains choose to have their first Japanese outlets
in Ginza before opening up elsewhere.
Local landmarks include the Kabuki-za Theatre,
which reopened in April 2013 after major reconstruction.
Kabuki-za is the main theatre of Japan’s traditional
kabuki performance in Tokyo. Designed by the famed
Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the new facility
represents Japan’s contemporary creativity and
traditional culture. Other buildings worth seeing are
the Hermès flagship, a narrow tower made of semitranslucent gold glass bricks designed by Renzo Piano,
and the store of famous pearl purveyors Mikimoto,
designed by Toyo Ito, with its irregular shaped windows
scattered sporadically over the concrete high-rise.
The intersection of Ginza Dori and Harumi Dori –
known as yon-chome crossing – is the main crossroads
in the district. On Harumi Dori is Wako, a venerable
watch and jewellery department store famous for its
dazzling window displays and clocktower, and facing
Wako, on the other side of Ginza Dori, is department
store Mitsukoshi; the bronze lion at its entrance is a
popular meeting point. Further down down Harumi
Dori and right on to Shinohashi Dori is Tsukiji Fish
Market, one of the world’s largest wholesale markets
and one of Tokyo’s unmissable sights.
The nearby area of Maranouchi is Tokyo’s central
business district. It’s traditionally been a sedate area,
but over the past decade has been reinvented as a
consumer hotspot, with numerous high-rise shopping
and dining complexes popping up. The latest changes
are the extensive redevelopment of the Tokyo Station
complex, which included restoring the historic 98-yearold Marunouchi side of the station to pre-war condition
and vastly expanded shopping and dinning options at
Tokyo Station. Worth a stop is Tokyo Okashi Land,
Japan’s first confectionery-themed retail zone, with stores
operated directly by three of Japan’s top confectioners.
Shinjuku
Shinjuku is Tokyo’s largest sub-centre and easily the
most cosmopolitan area of the city, with luxurious
department stores, sleazy strip-clubs and smoky jazz
bars all a few blocks from one another. The area is
divided into distinct east and west sections by the JR
Yamanote and Chuo train lines, with the entertainment
and shopping districts to the east and the business and
government districts to the west. It’s a major transport
hub: in fact, Shinjuku station is the busiest in the
world, with two million people passing through daily.
The east side is where all the action is. It houses
the glitzy neon and hostess bars of Kabuki-cho,
Japan’s largest red-light area, as well the gay district
of Ni-chome (two-chome) and the colourful bars of
San-chome (three-chome). Adjoining is Golden Gai,
a collection of tiny watering holes that are a throwback
to earlier days.
Further east and south of Shinjuku Dori (a major
shopping street with numerous large department stores)
is the vast green lung of Shinjuku Gyoen, one of
Tokyo’s largest parks. It’s a spectacular sight at hanami
(cherry blossom viewing), when its 1,500 trees colour
the whole place pink.
PHOTO: FUMIE SUZUKI/TIME OUT
tree-lined boulevard crammed with flagship stores
designed by the world’s top contemporary architects.
Every self-respecting fashion house has an outlet here. Be
adventurous and explore the smaller side streets, known
as Ura-Harajuku. It is here you’ll find lesser-known, hip
Japanese brands and unique cafés. For culture, head to
the Nezu Museum with its collection of East Asian
artworks and a large traditional Japanese garden.
Asakusa
Until around 1940, this area adjacent to the eastern bank
of the Sumida river was the most exciting and dynamic
part of town. Today a sense of faded grandeur still hangs
over the neighbourhood, but for the visitor, the greatest Shibuya
Tokyo’s youth have made Shibuya their playground,
and the shops, cafés, clubs, bars and restaurants largely
cater to their tastes – it’s a hotbed of pop culture and
lowbrow entertainment that’s fast, fun and affordable.
Shopping is Shibuya’s raison d’être, with music and
fashion dominating the area’s stores. When darkness
falls and the neon is switched on, myriad clubs, bars
and cinemas keep the area throbbing through the night.
The JR station’s Hachiko exit is the gateway to the
area’s attractions. Outside the exit is a small bronze
statue of the eponymous Hachiko, a dog of legendary
loyalty who walked to Shibuya to meet his owner at the
end of each day, then travelled vainly to the station for
a further seven years after the old man’s death.
Next to the square is the world’s busiest pedestrian
crossing, also named Hachiko. With a backdrop of
blaring video screens and neon-clad buildings, this is
the Tokyo of popular imagination.
PHOTO: THE NATIONAL ART CENTER, TOKYO
Harajuku
Harajuku’s emblematic shopping street is Takeshita
Dori, a narrow pedestrianised thoroughfare of small
clothes shops and crêpe stands. It starts on the opposite
side of the road from quaintly old-fashioned Harajuku
station and winds its way to join Meiji Dori; halfway
along are some steps leading up to Togo Shrine.
Key Harajuku stores include Laforet on the corner
of Meiji Dori and Omotesando; a popular meeting spot,
it offers five floors of teenybopper shopping heaven.
The main nexus of teen Tokyo extends from Takeshita
Dori up towards the Meiji Shrine. On the bridge in front
of the entrance to the shrine’s Inner Garden, Tokyo’s
young hipsters (mainly girls) hang out at weekends in
often outrageous cosu-purei (costume play) outfits.
The entrance to the Meiji Shrine is through a
36-foot/11-metre torii (gate), the largest in the country,
built from 1,600-year-old cypress trees. The huge patch
of green is instantly recognisable from observation
decks across the city; the serene atmosphere, punctuated
by birdsong, is a world away from the mayhem of
Harajuku’s shops. Opened in 1920, the shrine is dedicated
to Emperor Meiji, whose reign (1868-1912) coincided
with Japan’s modernisation. It hosts numerous festivals,
including two sumo dedicatory ceremonies in early
January and at the end of September, and draws crowds
of a million plus at New Year.
Keen shoppers should head to the nearby district
of Aoyama. The main street here is Omotesando, a
Building boom
Tokyo isn’t always
beautiful, but the city’s
architecture has never
lacked a wild and creative
streak. Mix liberal
planning laws with a
native love of novelty
and the end result is an
architectural playground,
by turns flamboyant,
eccentric and just plain
crazy. Here are the city’s
latest must-see buildings.
Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku
In 2012, Tokyu Plaza Omotesando Harajuku opened
around five minutes’ walk from JR Harajuku Station.
The castle-like structure topped with tufts of
greenery was designed by award-winning architect
Hiroshi Nakamura.
Asakusa Culture Tourist
Information Centre
A striking new building designed by Kengo Kuma
opened in front of Sensoji temple’s Kaminarimon
gate in 2012. The building is the new home of the
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre, where
you’ll find free tourist information, computers to
search for more info and also free Wi-Fi. The roof
terrace and café on the eighth floor offer beautiful
views of Asakusa and Tokyo Skytree (see pages 6
and 23), Tokyo’s number-one architectural marvel.
National Art Center, Tokyo
Opened in 2007, the biggest museum in Japan
(pictured) – the last major work of Kisho Kurokawa,
who died a few months after it opened – has four
storeys of undulating glass set in generous grounds.
21_21 Design Sight
This design museum in the Midtown complex
is the work of Tadao Ando, the reigning star of
Japanese architecture, in conjunction with veteran
fashion designer Issey Miyake. Composed of two
sharp trapezoids, it appears to have been made
from a single folded sheet of concrete.
Tokyo
The west side of Shinjuku has a clutch of skyscrapers
housing banking, insurance and other company
headquarters. The Tokyo government’s headquarters,
known as Tocho, are also here. Completed in 1991, the
twin-towered centrepiece of this impressive complex is
the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
No.1: a must-visit architecturally and for the great –
and free – views from its two observation decks.
In stark contrast to the gleaming high-rises is Omoide
Yokocho, just outside Shinjuku station’s north-west
exit. This narrow alleyway lined with ramshackle
yakitori stalls and bars, each with seating for no more
than a handful of customers, is the last remnant of a
vanished world.
temple complex and its environs that have helped make
Asakusa into one of Tokyo’s prime tourist attractions.
Also known as Senso-ji, Asakusa Kannon is Tokyo’s
oldest temple, with origins, so the remarkably precise
story has it, dating to 18 March 628. That was when two
brothers fishing on the river caught a two-inch golden
statue in their net. It was enshrined in the house of the
village headman, and in 645 a hall was built for the icon
on the spot where today’s temple stands. The complex
also houses a Shinto shrine, Asakusa Jinja, which
was established in 1649 to honour the two fishermen
and the village headman.
In 2012, the tallest freestanding tower in the world
opened in Tokyo. At a height of 2,080 feet/634 metres,
Tokyo Skytree is the second tallest structure in the
world, after Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Two enclosed
observation decks offer spectacular views over Tokyo.
These are located at 1,150 feet (350 metres) and 1,480
feet (450 metres), making them the highest observation
decks in Japan and some of the highest in the world.
The main temple gate, the Kaminarimon (Thunder
Gate), sports a famously gigantic red paper lantern.
From here stretches lively Nakamise Dori, which
contains about 150 stalls selling traditional goods such
as combs, fans, dolls, kimono, paper crafts, clothing and
toys – a great place for souvenirs.
Asakusa can also be the starting point for a cruise on
the Sumida river. One option is to take the water bus
(suijo bus), which leaves every 20-45 minutes from the
pier next to Azumabashi, heading south under 13 bridges
en route to beautiful Hama-Rikyu Detached Garden.
Or you could take a yakata-bune boat tour. These are
leisurely cruises around Tokyo Bay on floating
restaurants – and nicest at night.
Ueno
Ueno Koen was Tokyo’s first public park when it
opened in 1873. It contains a whole slew of attractions,
from museums to shrines and temples to a zoo, but is
particularly famed for its collection of cherry trees.
Highlights of Tokyo’s annual calendar
Kanda/Sanno Matsuri
Date mid May/mid June.
The Kanda Matsuri is held on odd-numbered years on
the weekend before 15 May; the Sanno Matsuri is held
on even-numbered years around mid June. Along with
Sanja Matsuri, these are Tokyo’s ‘Big Three’ festivals.
Sanja Matsuri
Date third weekend in May.
At this Shinto festival, shrines containing kami (Shinto
spirits) are carried through the streets in a grand
procession, complete with music, dance and floats.
This is Tokyo’s largest annual festival.
Sumida River Fireworks
New Year’s Day
Date 1 Jan.
Japan’s most important annual holiday sees large
crowds fill temples and shrines.
New Year Grand Sumo Tournament
Date mid Jan.
The first of Tokyo’s annual three 15-day sumo
tournaments. The tournaments take place from the
second to the fourth Sun of Jan, May and Sept.
Tokyo International Animation Fair
Date late Mar.
Works by both amateurs and pros are exhibited at
this event. There’s also a competition for youngsters.
Meiji Jingu Spring Festival
Date 29 Apr-early May.
Performances of traditional entertainment at the
large Meiji Shrine complex in Harajuku, including
imperial court music and dance.
Date last Sat in July.
Up to a million people pack the riverbank area in
Asakusa to see around 20,000 hanabi (‘flower-fires’)
light up the night skies.
Asakusa Samba Carnival
Date late Aug.
Thousands of brilliantly plumed dancers shake their
stuff in the streets of old Asakusa.
Takigi Noh
Date Sept-Oct.
Atmospheric outdoor performances of medieval Noh
drama are staged at a number of shrines, temples
and parks, illuminated by torches.
Meiji Jingu Grand Autumn Festival
Date 3 Nov.
Performances of traditional music, theatre and
yabusame (horseback archery) at the Meiji Shrine.
Tokyo International Film Festival
Date early Nov.
The largest film fest in Japan, attracting a glittering
influx of international movie talent.
PHOTO: YASUFUMI NISHI
Tokyo
appeal lies in the Asakusa Kannon temple. It is this
Tokyo
PHOTOS: YASUFUMI NISHI/JNTO (LEFT), FUMIE SUZUKI/TIME OUT (RIGHT)
Tokyo Skytree
Throngs of Tokyoites gather here every spring during
blossom season.
The park is also home to some of Japan’s greatest
cultural assets and Tokyo’s foremost collection of
museums, which deal with Japanese history and culture,
as well as science and the arts of other nations. The first
you come to is the Le Corbusier-designed National
Museum of Western Art. Next door is the National
Science Museum and, north of that, the Tokyo
National Museum, the grandest museum in the park.
All the other museums – the Tokyo Metropolitan Art
Museum, the University Art Museum and Ueno
Royal Museum – are within easy striking distance.
The park also contains Ueno Zoo, the most famous
zoo in the country. Not far from the main entrance is the
approach to Toshogu Shrine, the finest of the park’s
historical monuments. There’s more to Ueno than its
park, though. Near the JR station is the area’s other great
attraction: the Ameyoko street market, with more
than 500 stalls shoehorned into a quarter-mile stretch,
including fishmongers and fruit and vegetable stalls.
Roppongi
For the expat party crowd there’s only ever been one
destination: Roppongi. Think deafening rock or trance
music, hostess bars and tequila shots galore.
So Tokyo’s leading property magnate Mori Minoru
raised a few eyebrows when, in 1995, he announced
plans to build a huge, multi-billion-yen, upmarket urban
development right next to the bedlam. The Roppongi
Hills complex is designed as a ‘city within a city’,
housing numerous cafés, restaurants and shops, serviced
apartments, a nine-screen cinema and the Ashahi TV
studio. In the middle is Mori’s eponymous 54-storey
Kaminarimon,
Asakusa Kannon
temple
tower – the top supposedly modelled on a samurai helmet
– home to the world-class Mori Art Museum and a
52nd-floor observation deck, Tokyo City View.
Following hot on the heels of Roppongi Hills came
another giant urban regeneration project, Tokyo
Midtown, which opened in 2007 on the opposite side
of Roppongi Dori. It also features offices, apartments,
shops and restaurants, as well as a luxury hotel,
futuristic design gallery 21_21 Design Sight, and
the monolithic Midtown Tower – one of the tallest
buildings in the city at 813 feet (248 metres) high.
Nearby is the National Art Center, Tokyo, the
biggest museum in the country, which also opened in
2007. Together with the Suntory Museum of Art
in Midtown, which specialises in Japanese art and
antiquities, and the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi
Hills, it’s the final point of what’s been dubbed the
‘Roppongi Art Triangle’.
The arrival of all these new developments has
transformed the area’s image, with parents now bringing
their offspring to Roppongi rather than ordering them to
steer clear. Yet only a few blocks away, along Roppongi
Dori, the night-time pleasures continue unabated. Street
vendors and gaudy bar signs provide the ambience. At
the weekend each of the bars and clubs will be rammed
with hedonistic partygoers. Roppongi also has plenty to
offer on a culinary level: the international crowd bring
their international palates, and the area boasts a greater
variety of food than any other part of the city.
South-east from the Roppongi intersection lies Tokyo
Tower; the resemblance to the Eiffel Tower is deliberate,
as is the superior height – 43 feet/13 metres taller than
the Parisian structure. Built in 1958, it has long since
been trumped by taller buildings with better views, but
it’s still an iconic structure.
Tokyo
Odaiba
Odaiba started out as a project to develop Tokyo Bay
on reclaimed land. Over the past decade it’s turned into
something of a community apart from the rest of Tokyo,
with nowhere else sharing its spacious atmosphere of
wide avenues and cavernous modern architecture, with
the water of Tokyo Bay just a couple of streets away.
It’s at its busiest on summer weekends.
A trip to Odaiba begins by taking the elevated,
driverless Yurikamome monorail from Shinbashi or
Shiodome stations. The gateway to Odaiba is Rainbow
Bridge, named after the illuminations that light it up
after dark. The bridge has become one of the most
impressive additions to Tokyo’s skyline. Just over the
bridge is the 25-storey structure of the Fuji TV
headquarters, crowned by a 1,200-tonne glittering
metal sphere. Inside the sphere is an observation deck
that, on clear days, gives breathtaking views of Tokyo
and its surroundings.
Odaiba also is known for its shopping malls, including
the nautically themed Decks, Aqua City with its smallscale replica of the Statue of Liberty, and Venus Fort,
where you’ll find the super-cute Hello Kitty’s Kawaii
Paradise, a mini indoor theme park devoted to the
world’s most popular cat.
There are also several museums worth seeing. The
Museum of Maritime Science is built to look like an
ocean liner, while the National Museum of Emerging
Science & Innovation is suitably space age in
appearance. Fun for all the family is Toyota’s huge Mega
Web showroom and Odaiba Onsen Monogatari, a
hot spring theme park modelled on Edo-era Tokyo.
Japanese cuisine
Noodles: soba, udon and ramen
Soba (thin, grey, made from buckwheat mixed with
wheat flour) and udon (chunkier wheat noodles, usually
white) noodles are eaten chilled or hot. Ramen are
crinkly, yellowish noodles served in a rich, meaty soup.
Oden
Fish cakes, tofu, vegetables and whole eggs simmered
long and slowly in a shoyu-flavoured broth.
Sashimi
Raw fish, delicately sliced and artfully arranged,
usually served with soy sauce (pictured).
The staple food in Japan, around which everything else
revolves, is rice. Indeed, the word for meal (gohan)
literally means ‘cooked rice’. In farming communities
rice is still eaten three times a day, along with a
simple side dish, a bowl of miso soup and some
pickles. This is a Japanese meal at its most basic.
Until 150 years ago, meat eating was shunned,
and Japanese cooking is still heavily weighted towards
seafood and products made from protein-rich soya
beans, such as tofu, yuba (soya milk skin), natto
(fermented beans), soy sauce and miso.
There is an emphasis on fresh ingredients, so the
varieties of seafood, vegetables and mushrooms will
vary throughout the year. In addition, each region of
Japan has its own specialities – and all are available
in Tokyo.
Kaiseki ryori
Japan’s haute cuisine: a sequence of small dishes,
often simple but always immaculately prepared and
presented to reflect the seasons.
Kushi-age
Pieces of meat, seafood or vegetables are skewered
and deep-fried to a golden brown in a coating of fine
breadcrumbs.
Nabemono and one-pot cooking
One-pot stews cooked at the table in casseroles
(nabe) of iron or heavy earthenware. Everyone helps
themselves to the stew.
Sukiyaki
Tender cuts of meat with vegetables, tofu and other
ingredients lightly cooked in a sweetened soy sauce.
Sushi
Raw fish or other delicacies on patties of vinegared
rice. Best sampled at the many kaiten (conveyor belt)
restaurants.
Tempura
Seafood and vegetables deep fried in a light batter.
Teppanyaki, okonomiyaki and monja
Teppanyaki is beef cooked on a flat teppan grill.
Okonomiyaki (‘grilled whatever you like’) is a cross
between a pancake and an omelette, stuffed with
meat, bean sprouts, chopped cabbage and other
goodies. The Tokyo version is known as monja.
Tonkatsu
Pork dredged in flour, dipped in egg, rolled in
breadcrumbs and deep fried.
Unagi
Fillets of freshwater eel, basted and very slowly
grilled (often over charcoal).
Yakitori
Skewered bits of chicken cooked over a grill,
seasoned with a soy-based glaze.
JNTO3 9-10 AROUND TOKYO_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:23 Page 9
Around Tokyo
Mountain scenery, hot springs and shogun shrines.
Around Tokyo
Mt Fuji and tea plantation
ou don’t have to travel very far from Tokyo to
encounter stunning scenery, whether it’s the
splendid temples of Kamakura and Nikko, the
smoking volcanic hillsides at Hakone, or the snowcapped serenity of Mount Fuji.
Y
Kamakura
For 150 years, from the 12th to the 14th centuries,
Kamakura was Japan’s military and administrative
capital, and the factors that made it a strategic location
for the first military government – it has hills on three
sides and Sagami Bay on the other – have also kept it
separate from the encroaching sprawl of Yokohama.
When you reach Kamakura, you feel that you have
finally escaped the city, even though it’s less than an
hour by train from the heart of Tokyo.
The Minamoto family picked Kamakura for its new
base after vanquishing the Taira clan in 1185 and setting
up Japan’s first military government – marking the start
of 700 years of domination by shoguns. The new military
rulers encouraged Zen Buddhism, which appealed for its
strict self-discipline, and temples of various sects were
established in the area. While traces of the government
and military rule faded quickly after the Minamoto clan
and their regents were defeated in 1333, the religious
influence endures to this day.
There are more than 70 temples and shrines around
Kamakura, from the eminent to the small and secluded.
Still active today, they represent different Buddhist
sects, among them Rinzai, Pure Land and Nichiren. Few
buildings are intact from the Kamakura period, but many
temples and shrines appear unspoilt, giving visitors a
rare opportunity to view authentic reminders of old Japan.
The main attractions are scattered around, but most
are within walking distance of Kamakura or KitaKamakura stations and can be covered in a day trip
from Tokyo. Directions and distances to temples in each TIME OUT ESSENTIAL JAPAN 9
JNTO3 9-10 AROUND TOKYO_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:23 Page 10
Around Tokyo
vicinity are marked in English at intervals around town.
You can pick up a free map (partly in English) from the
Tourist Information window at Kamakura station. Most
temples are open daily, from 9am to 4pm.
The town and the main sites are surprisingly busy
at weekends and holidays. Festival periods are especially
crowded. The main ones are the Grand Festival (14-16
September) and the Kamakura Festival (from the
second to the third Sunday in April). Both take place at
Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu – the town’s main shrine
and focal point, ten minutes’ walk from Kamakura
station – which is also immensely popular on the first
few days of the New Year, when hordes of worshippers
converge to make their auspicious, first shrine visit of
the year. Each temple and shrine also holds its own
festival, and the fireworks on the second Tuesday of
August attract massive crowds to the beach area.
Nikko
If you haven’t seen Nikko, then you can’t say you’ve
really lived – such is the gist of a Japanese saying that’s
been popular since the Edo period. For over 1,200 years
this area of mountains, lakes, forests and hot springs has
been considered a centre of great beauty and spiritual
significance. But Nikko’s main claim to fame is that it’s
where the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu, is enshrined
and buried. The scale and lavish ornamentation of his
mausoleum make Nikko one of the most fascinating
sites in the country.
Ieyasu’s mausoleum, the Toshogu, is surrounded by
numerous temples and shrines, including the equally
ornate Taiyu-in, the mausoleum of his grandson, Iemitsu,
the third Tokugawa shogun. The entire complex, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be seen in half a day.
Most visitors, though, stay overnight so they can also
see the area above Nikko, including Lake Chuzenji,
the dramatic Kegon Falls, Yumoto Onsen and
the vast Oku-Nikko national park, with its onsen
(hot springs), hiking, camping, boating and skiing.
Nikko lies at the foot of the mountains on the edge of
the Kanto plain, about two hours by train due north of
Tokyo. It is a small city (population circa 20,000), with
souvenir shops, antique dealers and restaurants lining
the main street that runs from the two train stations up
to Shinkyo, the sacred bridge that marks the entrance to
the shrines and temples. This handsome, red-lacquered
bridge spanning the Daiyagawa gorge marks the spot
where legend says Shodo Shonin was carried across by
two huge serpents. The first bridge was built here in
1636, as the main approach to Toshogu. Destroyed by
floods in 1902 and rebuilt five years later, the second
bridge carried such vast numbers of tourists that it had
to be rebuilt again, its third incarnation opening in 2005.
Hakone
Hakone is where Tokyoites comes to relax and get a
taste of the countryside. Around 90 minutes by train
from Shinjuku station on the Odakyu line, this
mountainous area offers beautiful scenery, a host of
attractions and, best of all, a natural hot-spring bath,
or onsen, around virtually every bend of the roads that
twist through the mountains.
Those in a hurry can make the most of their time by
trying the ‘Hakone circuit’. Get off the train at either
1 0 TIME OUT ESSENTIAL JAPAN
Odawara or Hakone-Yumoto. From there, transfer to
the Tozan mountain railway for the 50-minute ride to its
terminus at Gora. At Gora, transfer on to the funicular
railway up to the end of the line at Sounzan. Here,
transfer to the cable car, which takes you down to the
banks of Lake Ashinoko at Togendai station. To cross
the lake, board one of the pleasure boats and stay on
until Hakone-Machi or Moto-Hakone, from where you
can take a bus back to where you started, at HakoneYumoto or Odawara. The round-trip should take about
three hours, although in the busy summer months it may
take longer.
The best way to see Hakone is to buy the Hakone
Freepass (see page 30), available at all Odakyu railway
stations. The pass covers travel from Tokyo and all
public transport in Hakone.
Mount Fuji
Japan’s most famous and highest mountain (at 12,388
feet/3,776 metres), is renowned for its beauty and
spiritual significance. For centuries pilgrims have
made their way to the top of Mt Fuji, praying and
resting at each stage before reaching the summit in
time for sunrise. Religious travellers are few and far
between these days, but climbing Fuji remains very
popular. People still go up to see the sunrise, but most
use transport to the fifth stage, where the road stops.
Since the mountain is covered in snow most of the
year, the official climbing season is limited to July and
August, although there is transport to the fifth stage
from April until November (out of season the trails are
open, but facilities are closed). The best time is the
middle four weeks of the climbing season; the most
crowded time is Obon Week in mid August. The climb
is worthwhile but not easy; a saying goes that there
are two kinds of fools, those who never climb Fuji and
those who climb it twice.
Choosing from which side to tackle Mt Fuji affects
how easy the climb is. Most people follow the
Yoshidaguchi Trail from the Kawaguchiko side (north),
which offers a 4.7-mile (7.5-kilometre) climb that takes
five hours, plus three for the descent. You can also
head from the south-west side, starting at one of two
new fifth stages, one near Gotemba (six and a half hours
up and three down) or another further west (five hours
up and three and a half down).
There are two ways to tackle the volcano. One is to
set off at nightfall, timing the ascent to arrive in time for
sunrise. More sensible souls climb in daylight and rest
in one of the lodges near the peak. With up to 600 people
crammed into the huts, you may not get a sound sleep,
but you’ll appreciate the break. Lodges at the eighth
stage on the Kawaguchiko side include Hakuunsou
(0555 24 6514, from ¥3,700 per person) and Honhachigo
Tomoekan (0555 24 6511, from ¥5,500 per person).
The temperature at the summit can be 20°C lower
than at the base; the average in July is 5°C (40°F) and in
August 6°C (43°F). It’s often below zero before sunrise.
Essential items include good shoes, rainwear, a torch,
water and food (available at huts). Don’t forget toilet
paper and bags for your rubbish.
Once you reach the peak, you might be slightly
disappointed to find it is no longer a place of solitude
and contemplation, but it is still an amazing feeling to
be standing atop Japan’s most iconic peak.
JNTO3 11-15 KYOTO_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:36 Page 11
Kyoto
The cultural heart of Japan.
Kyoto
Kinkaku-ji
yoto was Japan’s capital for 1,200 years, and
remains the nation’s cultural heart. Because it was
spared the air raids of World War II, it has retained
far more of a feel of ‘old Japan’ than other major Japanese
cities. The numerous shrines, temples, palaces and
ancient villas are repositories of Japan’s long history,
while up in the low mountains that enclose the city small
villages huddle under forested slopes, offering
fascinating glimpses of rural life.
You can still find geishas in the old Gion district;
kimono weavers in Nishijin; sake brewers in Fushimi;
and numerous craftsmen, artisans and storekeepers
who carefully maintain the old ways, helping to keep
alive the flame of Japan’s traditional culture. Not that
everything looks old, of course. Inevitably, the city has
its fair share of modern high-rises, and many of the older
neighbourhoods have been lost to the onslaught of
development – but there are still survivors of the classic
wooden machiya houses with their attractive latticed
fronts and tiled roofs; these have been experiencing a
renaissance in recent years, with investors snapping
them up and restoring them as holiday rentals.
Those who live there say it takes a lifetime to know
Kyoto. Few visitors have even as much as a week to
explore, although a week would be the ideal length of
K
stay, especially if side trips to Ohara, Kurama, Uji or
Nara are included. But even a couple of days is enough
to glimpse something of the city’s main sites.
To get to Kyoto from Tokyo takes just two hours 15
minutes by JR Tokaido shinkansen (from Tokyo station).
From Osaka it’s 25 minutes by JR Tokaido Line rapid
train from Shin-Osaka station.
HISTORY
Kyoto became the seat of Japan’s imperial court in 794,
replacing previous sites in the Nara area. The location
was selected for its auspicious geomantic properties
rather than strategic considerations: surrounded on three
sides by mountains but open to the south, with two rivers
flowing through the city from the north. Known initially
as Heian-kyo (Capital of Peace and Tranquility), it was
laid out according to the classical Chinese pattern with a
regular checkerboard of avenues and streets.
Over the centuries, the city became known simply as
Kyoto (Capital City). Besides being the focus of political
power, it was also an important religious centre, with a
succession of Buddhist sects vying for prominence. Each
has left its mark with major temples, including Enryakuji
(Tendai sect), To-ji (Mikkyo), Nanzen-ji, Tenryu-ji and
Daikoku-ji (Zen), and Nishi Hongan-ji (Jodo Shin).
TIME OUT ESSENTIAL JAPAN 1 1
The Heian Period (794-1185) saw the apogee of
classical Japanese cultural refinement. It was an era of
courtly rituals and romance, as recorded in the pages
of the Tale of Genji – which is believed to be the world’s
first work of fiction. But Kyoto was also a centre of
constant intrigue and power brokering between the two
most powerful families, the Taira (Heike) and Minamoto
(Genji), which culminated in a period in which the
political centre shifted to Kamakura. The Ashikaga
shoguns (generals) restored the capital to Kyoto,
ushering in a second golden age known as the
Muromachi Period (1336-1573).
Kyoto
Little is left of the city from that era, as it was
destroyed on numerous occasions by fire and the civil
wars that only ended with the rise to power of the
warlords Nobunaga and Hideyoshi in the 16th century.
Under Hideyoshi, Kyoto was rebuilt and entered a brief
era of glory, now known as the Momoyama Period
(1573-1603). But when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu
seized control in 1603, he moved his seat of power to Edo
(modern-day Tokyo). The imperial court remained in
Kyoto until 1868, when the shogunate was overthrown
and the capital was formally moved to Tokyo under
Emperor Meiji.
Today, there is a growing grassroots movement to
preserve what is left of Kyoto’s heritage. While citizen
groups have managed to obtain legal protection for Gion
and other neighbourhoods, the government has to date
gained UNESCO World Heritage status for 17 major sites.
Yasaka-jinja
GETTING AROUND
Kyoto
Given the scale of the city, it is impossible to see all
the sights in a single day or even a short visit. Tour
buses can whisk you from one temple to another, but
to really discover the city, the best strategy is to focus
on a couple of specific areas, giving yourself time not
just to see the historic buildings but also to explore
some of the neighbourhoods.
The city is laid out on a regular grid. Karasuma-dori,
the main north-south axis, is intersected by major
avenues – Marutamachi-dori; Oike-dori; Shijo-dori;
Gojo-dori; and Shichijo-dori, just north of the JR station
– many of which have subway stations of the same
name. East of the Kamo-gawa river is Higashiyama
(East Mountain); to the west are Katsura-gawa and
Arashiyama.
To get from one end of Kyoto to the other, use the
subway, transferring as necessary to the local railway
lines or to the network of buses that criss-cross the
city (most have signs and announcements in English).
Since the terrain is mostly flat, energetic visitors
might consider renting bicycles (try www.kctp.net/en).
Taxis are numerous, and very convenient for shorter
distances, although they’re not necessarily faster if
you are planning on going right across town.
For more detailed information about the city and
special events, try these:
Kyoto Tourist Information Centre
JR Kyoto Station, 9th Floor (075 344 3300).
Open 10am-6pm daily. Closed 2nd and 4th Tue of the month.
Kyoto City TIC
JR Kyoto Station Building, 2nd Floor (075 343 0548).
Open 8.30am-7pm daily.
Kyoto Tourist Information Decks
Free Kyoto City guides are available at any Starbucks or 7-11
(Japan’s largest convenience store chain). Open daily.
When to visit
Due its landlocked position, Kyoto has an extreme
climate, with bitterly cold winters and sweltering
humid summers. The best time to visit is spring,
especially when the cherries are in blossom, or when
the hills and gardens are dappled with autumn hues.
Kyoto also has numerous annual festivals, the
most spectacular of which are: the Aoi Festival
(15 May) and Jidai Festival (22 October), both with
impressive processions through the streets; the
Gion Festival (17 July), featuring massive wooden
floats; Daimonji (around 15 August), marking the
end of the midsummer o-bon Festival of the Dead
with five huge bonfires in the shape of kanji
characters on the hillsides above the city; and the
Kurama Fire Festival (22 October), a boisterous
occasion featuring night-time revelry and gigantic
burning torches that scatter sparks all around.
Around Kyoto Station
Arriving in Kyoto by shinkansen, you may possibly
be underwhelmed by the mundane cityscape that greets
you as you emerge from the imposing new station
building. However, there are several important sites
within walking distance, and if you only have a few
hours to spare, you can fill them easily.
Just south of the station, visible from the platforms, is
To-ji (East Temple), founded in 796, with its impressive
five-storey pagoda. It’s usually quiet, but on the 21st of
each month crowds gather for the Kobo-san flea
market, where you can bargain for second-hand kimonos
and furniture, post-war memorabilia and assorted junk.
To the north of the station, the kitschy-retro Kyoto
Tower offers views over the south of the city. A short
walk away is Nishi-Hongan-ji. Many of the structures
and ornamentations came from warlord Hideyoshi’s
lavish Fushimi Castle, before it was destroyed by Ieyasu.
Book for tours of the historic building. Across the street
stands the rival Higashi (East) Hongan-ji. Despite the
splendid wooden gate, there is not much to see inside.
A short taxi ride from the station is the extraordinary
and atmospheric Sanjusangen-do. The main hall of this
temple, which dates from 1266, is 390 feet (118 metres)
long and just 60 feet (18 metres) wide, and houses 1,001
statues of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, each with a
different face, peering out from the gloom.
Close by is the Kyoto National Museum, which has
an excellent collection of predominantly pictorial art.
Kyoto
Higashiyama and eastern Kyoto
Some of the finest sites are concentrated in the eastern
quadrant of the city, and if you only have one full day,
this would be the best place to spend it in.
First, take a bus or taxi to Ginkaku-ji, better known
as the Silver Pavilion; its garden is a beautiful place to
linger. From here, stroll down the tranquil, pedestrianonly, cherry-lined Philosopher’s Walk, following a canal
past temples and imperial tombs, eventually arriving
at Nanzen-ji; this is the classic Zen temple, in an
unparalleled setting at the foot of verdant Higashiyama.
Catch a bus or taxi to Kiyomizu-dera, one of Kyoto’s
finest and most popular temples. From the bottom of
the hill, you stroll up through narrow streets lined with
gift shops. The temple itself is set into the steep hillside,
with the front of the main hall supported on massive
wooden scaffolding. Kiyomizu-dera was founded in
780, before the city existed, and is not affiliated with
any of the main Kyoto sects. The platform around the
main hall gives a wonderful view over the rooftops of
the city, as well as much-needed fresh air, especially in
the heat of summer.
A short stroll away is Yasaka-jinja, a large Shinto
shrine set in park-like precincts that are most interesting
in the evening and at New Year. Continuing towards
the Kamo-gawa River, you reach the Gion-Shinbashi
district, one of the most atmospheric neighbourhoods in
the city. In the evening, you may see maiko (apprentice
geisha) making their way through the narrow streets.
Central Kyoto
Across the river from the Gion and slightly to the north
is Ponto-cho, a lively entertainment area with streets
lined with restaurants, bars and clubs that are at their
busiest in the evening.
Further west, Nijo-jo was the Tokugawa shoguns’
palace in Kyoto. Erected in 1632, the audience rooms
are decorated with lavish craftsmanship, and protected
by secret guards’ rooms and squeaking ‘nightingale
floors’ intended to betray the presence of potential
assassins. Besides the architecture, the castle has
impressive gates (the Ote-mon and Kara-mon) and
an extensive and showy formal garden.
To the north is Kyoto Gosho, the Imperial Palace,
which can be toured by prior appointment with the
Imperial Household Agency. The main 19th-century
palace is quite simple, and perhaps not worth a visit if
you only have a short time in the city. Likewise Heian
Jingu, a shrine built in 1895 to mark the city’s 1,000th
anniversary: more imposing than elevating, it has three
strolling gardens that are pleasant, but less interesting
than many other of Kyoto’s older gardens.
North-west and western Kyoto
In the north of the city is Kinkaku-ji, the renowned
Golden Pavilion. Originally constructed in 1397 as a
shogun’s villa, its setting – among trees, next to a lake
– is one of the most photographed sites in the city. In
1950, a monk caused a fire that razed the building to
the ground, but an exact reconstruction was finished
within five years, this time covered all over with gold
leaf, the stunning brilliance of which is heightened by
its reflection in the water.
A short bus ride away is Ryoan-ji, with its worldfamous Zen rock garden. Because the image is so well
known and the temple so busy with tour groups, actually
seeing the garden can feel anti-climactic. But slow down,
time your visit right and just sit: you may just experience
a hint of enlightenment.
To the far west, where the Oi-gawa River comes
gushing out of the mountains, lies Arashiyama. This
is an area of great natural beauty, especially in spring
and autumn and, rather than specific sites, it is the
scenery that delights. It has become popular to take a
boat ride down river (you start at Kameoka, 15 minutes
up the train line), through the mildly exciting rapids,
emerging at Arashiyama. Then spend a few hours
strolling down shady lanes and through bamboo groves,
stopping at a chaya (traditional refreshment house) to
lunch on tofu or other Kyoto delicacies, or sipping on
green tea beside the river.
To the far north
Bamboo forest, Arashiyama
Hidden away in the folds of the mountains to the north
of Kyoto, you will find quiet farming villages where
life moves at a far more relaxing pace. Ohara would
be worth visiting just for its attractive location, but it
also has two fine temples that draw visitors from afar.
Sanzen-in has a wonderful setting, among towering
cryptomeria and fringed by maple trees. Jakko-in is
quieter but well worth visiting too.Even deeper into the
mountains is the village of Kurama, famous for three
reasons: its temple, Kurama-dera, associated with
winged goblins known as tengu; its hot spring, Kurama
Onsen, where you can bathe in an outdoors pool; and its
spectacular annual fire festival (22 October). From here,
you can hike half an hour to Kibune, a village in the
next valley: stop here for a peaceful meal in one of the
ryokan (traditional inns) by a gushing stream.
Heading south
The village of Fushimi, on the southern end of
Higashiyama (East Mountain), is known for its saké;
you can visit the Gekkeikan Museum to see (and taste)
how Japan’s national tipple is brewed. Close by is
the remarkable Inari-taisha, a major Shinto shrine
dedicated to the god of rice. Its pathways are flanked by
literally thousands of red torii (shrine gates) – donations
from individuals, families and companies – which
meander over the thickly wooded mountainside.
Close encounters of the cultural kind
For a change from temple-hopping and shopping, and
to gain a greater appreciation of traditional Japanese
arts and crafts, a number of hands-on experiences
are on offer.
Cultural programmes
WAK Kyoto
075 212 9993, www.wakjapan.com.
Combine a visit to a private home in Kyoto with a
lesson in flower-arranging, origami, calligraphy, the
tea ceremony, dance or playing the koto (a traditional
stringed musical instrument). Run by the Women’s
Association of Kyoto, classes are in English and last
90-150 minutes. Cost: ¥5,500-¥20,000 per person,
including hotel pick-up.
Windows to Japan
windowstojapan.com.
Aims to open windows and remove
screens to let you experience the
real Japan. Through these uniquely
developed ‘windows’, you will
discover a hidden world in plain
sight: a private evening with a
geisha will allow you to ask real
geisha questions about their daily
lives and career, and to understand
more about this curious and often
misunderstood world. The exclusive
‘Behind the Veil’ walking tour lets
you see the unseen and hidden
in regular Kyoto streets and
neighbourhoods. Costs vary
depending on the activity.
PHOTO: COLIN SINCLAIR
Studio Shiki
maiko makeover
075 533 6666, www.maikohenshin.com/english/.
Strictly for the girls, this one.
Get dressed up as a maiko
(apprentice geisha) – traditional
white make-up and elaborate
hairstyle included – and be
Kyoto
JTB www.japanican.com.
ViaJapan Holidays www.viajapan.co.uk.
Learn about and try Japanese arts, music or food,
directly from experts in the field. Experience the ninja
world, for example, by wearing a ninja costume and
participating in a ninja training session; learn samurai
sword-fighting techniques; or play a
Japanese taiko drum. All interests
are catered for, from going to Tsukiji
Fish Market then making sushi,
to wearing a kimono and visiting
Asakusa. Classes are in English.
Costs vary depending on the
activity, but start at about ¥10,000.
snapped in a studio by a professional photographer.
Cost: ¥9,975 for two hours, including six photos.
JNTO3 16 AROUND KYOTO_JNTO Supplement 28/02/2013 12:46 Page 16
Around Kyoto
Kumano Hongu Taisha,
Mt Koya
Uji
This small city, 20 minutes south of Kyoto by train, is
worth visiting (either as a half-day trip or en route to
Nara) just to view the elegant Byodo-in. Built in 1053
and formerly a nobleman’s villa, the two wings of its
main hall (the Ho’o-do) supposedly resemble a phoenix in
flight. It’s one of the most celebrated buildings in Japan.
Nara
Japan’s capital before that honour passed to Kyoto,
Nara has a more peaceful atmosphere and is constructed
on a more manageable scale than its successor. It’s a
great day-trip from Kyoto with a bunch of its own
cultural highlights that rival anything to be found in its
more famous neighbour. The temple of Todai-ji contains
the world’s largest wooden structure, the Great Buddha
Hall, which houses a huge and impressive bronze statue
of Buddha. Nara Park is well known for the many tame
deer that roam its grounds, regarded since ancient times
as messengers of the gods. On the western outskirts of
the city is Horyu-ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan,
with a five-storey pagoda said to be the oldest surviving
wooden structure in the world, dating back to the early
seventh century.
Mount Koya
Mt Koya, or Koya-san, is located in the north-eastern
part of Wakayama Prefecture a few hours south of
Kyoto. It is the centre of Shingon Buddhism, a sect
introduced to Japan in the early ninth century by Kobu
Taishi, one of the most significant figures in Japanese
religious history. On Mt Koya’s peak is Kongobu-ji,
the sect’s head temple, which has a 1,200-year-long
history. More than 120 other temples are scattered
throughout the area, including Okunoin, where Kobu
Taishi rests in eternal meditation. Okunoin is surrounded
by Japan’s largest graveyard,where the burial plots of
feudal lords and other prominent personalities are set
among the trees.
Around 50 of the temples in the area function as
shukubo, which means they offer lodging to visitors
and tourists. This includes the chance to eat shojin-ryori,
the vegetarian cuisine of the monks. Some of the temples
also offer the opportunity to experience zazen, a kind of
Zen Buddhist training.
Todai-ji in Nara
PHOTOS: WAKAYAMA PREFECTURE (TOP), MAX HODGES (BOTTOM)
Around Kyoto
Historic buildings, temples and a holy mountain.
JNTO3 17 NAGANO_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:42 Page 17
Nagano
Ancient forests, remote mountains and monkeys.
ountainous Nagano Prefecture, with its forests
and traditional villages, reveals a Japan beyond
the neon lights. Hiking in Kamikochi or walking
the Kiso-ji Road in the Kiso Valley are great ways to
discover Japan’s outdoors.
M
Kamikochi is particularly beautiful during the autumn
foliage season, which peaks in mid October. The area is
also known for its diverse alpine flora, with blooms at
their best from mid May until the end of July.
Matsumoto
Kiso Valley
Kamikochi
PHOTO: NAGANO PREFECTURE
Kamikochi is a remote highland area in the Azusa River
Valley in the Japan Alps. Part of the Chubu Sangaku
National Park, the area has a few hotels, huts and hiking
trails – open from mid to late April until 15 November.
Private cars are banned, with access only by bus or taxi.
In the centre of Kamikochi stands Kappa Bridge.
From here, trails lead up and down the valley and
towards the summits of the surrounding mountains.
Matsumoto Castle is Japan’s oldest wooden castle and
one of the country’s most intact. Construction began on
this magnificent three-turret structure in 1592. Today,
guns, bombs and weapons from the days of the samurai
are displayed on the lower floors. Nearby is the old
Nakamachi merchant district, with traditional
whitewalled houses that have been renovated to become
shops, ryokans, cafés and galleries. Contemporary art
fans should call in at the Matsumoto City Museum of
Art, with works by Matsumoto-born Yayoi Kusama.
Hot springs
Nagano has a number of onsen villages, with natural hot
springs. The area is also famous for its snow monkeys –
these wild creatures enjoy soaking in the natural springs
just like the human visitors. Jigokudani Monkey
Park is home to more than 100 Japanese macaques,
and the park has a hot-spring pool for their exclusive use.
Not far from the monkey park, Yudanaka and Shibu
onsen villages have traditional wooden Japanese inns,
atmospheric places to stay where you can experience the
relaxing powers of the onsen.
There are several ski resorts near Yudanaka; the
most prominent is Shiga Kogen, site of some Winter
Olympics events in 1998.
Kappa Bridge, Kamikochi
Nagano
The Kiso Valley, at the foot of Mount Ontake, is home to
one of Japan’s most beautiful forests. Here you can walk
along the old Kiso-ji Road, part of Shogun Tokugawa
Ieyasu’s Nakasen-do Highway, built to connect Edo
(present-day Tokyo) and Kyoto in the 17th century.
Eleven staging posts are dotted along the scenic highway.
At the town of Magome, rows of beautifully preserved
old houses line stone-paved roads. Overhead power lines
are hidden to maintain the authentic feudal period look.
A leisurely two- or three-hour walk takes you from
Magome to Tsumago, which provides more of a taste of
the Edo Period (1600-1868). Both towns have traditional
inns where you can spend the night resting by old-style
fireplaces and sleeping on futons on tatami mats.
JNTO3 18 KANAZAWA_JNTO Supplement 25/02/2013 17:46 Page 18
Kanazawa & Gifu
Old Japan, perfectly preserved.
Ishikawa Prefecture’s capital, Kanazawa, was one of the
few major Japanese cities to escape bombing by the US
Air Force during World War II. Consequently, parts of
the old castle town have survived intact, making the
city a viable alternative to the more famous Kyoto for
exploring traditional Japan.
Kanazawa has prospered for some 300 years, ever since
feudal lord Maeda Toshiie built a castle here in the late
16th century. The city’s wealth allowed the arts to flourish:
a thriving geisha district was established, along with one
of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, Kenroku-en Garden.
Established in 1676, the garden was shaped over a period
of more than 100 years. It is distinguished by its many
ponds, connected by winding streams, as well as its trees.
The Nagamachi Samurai Residences District is
at the foot of Kanazawa Castle. With earthen walls, stone
pavements and the Onosho Canal, it retains the look and
feel of the samurai era. One of its main attractions is
Nomura-ke, a restored samurai home, complete with
artefacts, revealing the lifestyle of samurai during this
prosperous period. The Shinise Kinenkan Museum,
a restored pharmacy, shows the lives of the merchant
class that rose to prosperity as the samurai declined.
A chaya (literally teahouse) is actually an exclusive
restaurant where guests are entertained by geisha.
During the Edo Period, chaya were found in designated
entertainment districts, usually just outside the city
limits. Kanazawa has three well-preserved chaya teahouse
districts: Higashi Chayagai (Eastern Chaya District),
Nishi Chayagai (Western Chaya District) and
Kazuemachi. Their wooden buildings and paved streets
are reminiscent of the Edo Period, and each district still
has working chaya. You may happen to see a geisha in the
early evening as she travels to one of her engagements.
The Higashi Chaya District is the largest and most
interesting of the three districts. Two chaya, the Shima
Teahouse and Kaikaro Teahouse, are open to the
public. Other buildings along the central street house
cafés and shops. One of the shops, Hakuza, sells goldleaf products, a speciality of Kanazawa; it also has a tea
ceremony room that is completely covered in gold leaf.
The Ninja-dera (Ninja Temple) was built by the
Maeda lords. It earned its nickname because of its many
hidden defences. Since the shogun imposed strict building
restrictions to ensure the weakness of his regional lords,
the temple functioned as a disguised military outpost,
with secret rooms, traps, and a labyrinth of corridors and
staircases as well as hidden escape routes, enabling
defenders to alert the castle in the event of an attack.
Omicho Market is a busy and colourful network of
covered streets lined by around 200 shops and stalls,
most specialising in local seafood and produce.
Takayama
The old town area of Takayama, in Gifu Prefecture, has
been beautifully preserved, with many buildings and
whole streets of houses dating from the Edo Period,
when the city thrived as a wealthy trading centre. The
old wooden houses in the town centre have now been
converted into cafés, restaurants, craft shops and a
diverse range of galleries and museums.
The Takayama Festival, held in spring and autumn, is
believed to have begun in the 16th or 17th century and is
one of Japan’s finest. During the festival, intricate floats,
magnificently decorated using traditional local craft
techniques, make their way through the town.
Shirakawa-go
Kenroku-en Garden,
Kanazawa
A pleasant day trip from Takayama, Shirakawa-go is a
quiet village, surrounded by mountains. It contains some
110 traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, some of which
are more than 250 years old. In 1995 UNESCO declared
the entire village a World Heritage Site.
‘Gassho-zukuri’ means ‘constructed like hands in
prayer’: the farmhouses’ steep thatched roofs resemble
the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer.
The architectural style developed over many generations
and is designed to withstand heavy snowfalls. The roofs,
constructed without nails, provided a large attic space
used for cultivating silkworms.
PHOTO: KANAZAWA CITY
Kanazawa & Gifu
Kanazawa
JNTO3 19-20 SETO INLAND_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:45 Page 19
Seto Inland Sea
& Beyond
An iconic shrine, a monument to world peace and an island-hopping road.
PHOTO: OKAYAMA PREFECTURE
Hiroshima
Overshadowed by its tragic past as the target of the
world’s first atomic bomb, present-day Hiroshima, two
hours west of Kyoto, is a lively modern city, and one that
stands as a powerful symbol for the promotion of world
peace. A visit to the Peace Memorial Park in the city
centre is an unforgettable experience, with the poignant
A-Bomb Dome standing as a lone reminder of the old
city that was obliterated in the blast.
Hiroshima is also known for its food. Oysters have
been farmed here since the 16th century, and Hiroshimastyle okonomiyaki, unique flour crêpes (sometimes
referred to as Japanese pizzas) fried with vegetables
and noodles, are a another speciality.
Miyajima
A short distance from Hiroshima is the beautiful island
of Miyajima, home to the Itsuku-shima Shrine. The
shrine has a torii (gate) standing alone in the sea. This
striking and surreal sight is known as one of the ‘three
views of Japan’ – a trio of the country’s most iconic
sights. The shrine is also a World Heritage Site.
Wild deer roam the island; they have become
accustomed to people and wander around the same
sites as visitors during the day.
A pleasant and relaxing way to enjoy Miyajima is to
take a stroll along one of the island’s many footpaths.
Surrounding the town, the paths cut through the island’s
forest; as you climb, you’ll find some good vantage points
for views down on to the town below. Some paths lead
through the Momijidani (‘Maple Valley’), the island’s
prime spot for viewing autumn leaves. The paths also
lead past a Tahoto pagoda and numerous lookout points,
as well as clusters of cherry trees, which burst into bloom
in early April.
For those seeking a more substantial hike, there are
three paths that lead to the summit of the island’s Mount
Misen. From here, the numerous islands of the Seto
Inland Sea are spread out before you.
Swimmers and beach-lovers also love Miyajima: there
are bathing beaches with camping grounds around the
island, which get very busy in summer.
Shimanami Kaido, Seto Inland Sea
JNTO3 19-20 SETO INLAND_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:45 Page 20
Kobe Harbour Land
Shimanami Kaido
The Shimanami Kaido is a 38-mile (60-kilometre)-long
road that connects Japan’s main island of Honshu to
the island of Shikoku, passing over six small islands in
the Seto Inland Sea. It’s possible to make the journey
from Honshu to Shikoku by car, bicycle or on foot.
Along the way, travellers can enjoy the beautiful scenery
of the Seto Inland Sea and the islands’ small towns.
At around 44 miles (70 kilometres), the cycling route
is a bit longer than the road, but because there are
no steep inclines, it can be comfortably completed in
a day by a moderately fit cyclist. Regular and electricassisted bicycles can be hired in the area. Ordinary
bicycles cost ¥500 per day, children’s bicycles ¥300
per day, while electric-assisted bicycles are ¥800
for four hours.
Miyajima is a romantic place, best enjoyed by staying
overnight at one of the island’s ryokan. There are
many day tourists too – the island is an ideal day-trip
destination – but those staying overnight have the
advantage that the island becomes much quieter and
more peaceful during the evening.
Himeji
Himeji is best known for the magnificent Himeji Castle, a
UNESCO World Heritage Site that is widely considered
to be Japan’s most beautiful surviving feudal castle. It
can be reached in less than an hour from Osaka or Kyoto.
Kobe
Located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range,
Kobe is world-famous for its tasty beef. It’s also one of
Japan’s most attractive cities.
Kobe has been an important port city for many
centuries and was one of the first Japanese ports to be
opened to foreign trade in the late Edo Period. The
Kitano-cho district at the foot of the Rokko mountain
range is where many Western business people settled in
the second half of the 19th century, when foreign trade
began. Here you can visit a number of mansions that
belonged to Western residents from this period.
Many saké companies operate breweries in Kobe’s
Nada district, some of which have an adjacent store or
room with exhibits. At the Hakutsuru Sake Brewery
Museum in the grounds of the Hakutsuru Brewery, you
can learn about the process of saké brewing and taste the
company’s famous sakés. Kobe is around two and a half
hours by train from Tokyo.
Naruto City is located at the north-eastern tip of
Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku. The ocean around
the coastal city is famous for its whirlpools. These
occur when opposing currents from the Seto Inland
Sea and the Kii Channel meet in the Naruto Strait,
with a difference in water levels between the two of
as much as 1.5 metres. At the time of the flood tide
– between spring and autumn – huge whirlpools,
moving at 13 miles (20 kilometres) an hour and
exceeding 65 feet (20 metres) in diameter, form.
Visitors can see these roaring whirlpools and
surging currents from a tide-viewing boat or from
observation platforms.
Naoshima – Art Island
Around four hours from Tokyo or one and a half
hours from Osaka, Naoshima is a small island with a
population of around 3,400 in the Seto Inland Sea. This
unique piece of land has been selected by the US edition
of Condé Nast Traveller as one of the ‘seven places in
the world you should see next’, and also featured in
The Man with the Red Tattoo, one of the series written
by Raymond Benson, featuring Ian Fleming’s James
Bond character.
Benesse Art Site Naoshima is an attempt to create
a totally new kind of art space and art experience by
setting contemporary art and architecture amid the
beauty of nature. The site includes many unique places
and projects. Among them is Benesse House – a museum
where you can stay for the night, designed by Tadao
Ando, a former boxer and truck driver and now a
renowned architect. Another is the Art House Project:
artists renovate old houses, turning the house and the
space inside into a new work of art.
Tadao Ando also designed the Chichu Art Museum,
where Water Lilies by Claude Monet sits alongside
works by James Turrell and Walter De Maria,
contemporary artists long involved with Naoshima
Island. The museum has a beautiful garden, with plants
that were cherished by Monet, allowing visitors to gain
a deeper understanding of his work.
You can also enjoy wonderful classic Japanese
bunraku (puppet theatre) on the island. A special feature
of bunraku here is that all of the performers are women
– this is not found anywhere else in Japan.
PHOTO: KOBE CONVENTION & VISITORS ASSOCIATION
Naruto
JNTO3 21 OKINAWA_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:46 Page 21
Okinawa
Welcome to Japan’s island paradise.
C
government. As a result, and thanks to its trade with
China, Thailand, Malaysia and elsewhere, Okinawa’s
language and culture developed very differently from
elsewhere in Japan. Such differences are still evident
today, with Okinawa having food, music, dance, crafts,
architecture and festivals that are not found elsewhere in
the country. One example is the bright red, elaborately
decorated Shuri Castle in Naha City (Okinawa’s capital).
Originally the seat of the Ryukyu kings, it shares little
with the white fortifications of mainland Japan. Okinawa
is also the birthplace of karate, as well as a lesser known
martial art called kobudo.
There’s also a distinct American influence, thanks to
more recent historical events: Okinawa was under US
administration from the end of World War II until 1972,
and still has a significant US military presence.
Okinawa has also achieved worldwide attention for
its famously long-lived inhabitants, who are less likely
to suffer from cancer, strokes and heart conditions; many
studies have put this down to the healthy traditional
diet and laid-back way of life. Try a champuru stir-fry,
containing vegetables such as goya (bitter melon), tofu
and meat or fish, then indulge in a shot of the local
tipple, awamori. This strong, fiery, distilled rice liquor
resembles shochu, but is made from long-grained rice
– perhaps this is the secret of Okinawan longevity.
GETTING THERE
Okinawa’s Naha Airport is serviced domestically by
ANA, JAL, Peach, Jetstar Japan and AirAsia Japan.
The main routes are from Tokyo Haneda Airport (2hr
45min), Kansai International Airport (2hr 10min) and
Osaka Itami Airport (2hr 15min). For visitor information,
check www.okinawastory.jp.
PHOTO: OKINAWA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Kabira Bay, Ishigaki Island
Okinawa
rystal blue seas, white sand beaches and colourful
marine life – it’s not widely known, but Japan is
also a fantastic place for a beach holiday. More
than 150 islands, about 40 of them inhabited, known as
the Ryukyu Islands, stretch in a 250-mile chain at the
southernmost extremity of the Japanese archipelago.
This is Okinawa Prefecture, located nearly halfway
between Kyushu (the southernmost of Japan’s four
main islands) and Taiwan, at the same latitude as more
famous beach destinations such as Hawaii, Florida and
the Bahamas.
The climate is subtropical, with an average annual
temperature of 22°C (72.3°F). Summers are hot and wet
– monsoons and typhoons are a regular feature – with
highs of around 31°C (88°F), while winters are much
dryer with temperatures never falling below springtime
levels in Tokyo and Osaka. Banyan trees, hibiscus and
other tropical and semi-tropical plants abound, blooming
throughout the year; and sugar cane, pineapple and
papaya are major crops. Rare species of flora and fauna
include the wild cats of Iriomote Island.
Okinawa’s natural attractions are many, particularly
the spectacularly clear blue waters and blindingly white
sand beaches that fringe the islands. Extensive coral
reefs teeming with colourful fish make this a diving
and snorkelling hotspot. You can also kayak through
mangrove swamps, fish, whale-watch, hike in rainforest
or play golf on an ocean-side course. Those who want
to see whale sharks and manta rays without getting
wet can visit Churaumi Aquarium on Okinawa Island,
the world’s second-largest aquarium.
For about 400 years, until the mid 19th century,
Okinawa was known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, a
prosperous state independent of Japan’s central
JNTO3 22-23 COOL JAPAN_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:49 Page 22
Crafts
Ryokan
Traditional crafts such as lacquerware, pottery, kimono,
ukiyo-e woodblock prints, calligraphy and woodwork make
great souvenirs. Plenty of places also offer instruction in
the likes of origami, flower-arranging and calligraphy or
even Japanese cookery.
Immerse yourself in Japanese culture and customs by
spending a night in a traditional Japanese inn. There are
more 55,000 ryokan in Japan, where you can stay in a
room with tatami (straw mat) flooring, dine on a kaiseki
feast of traditional local foods, change into a yukata
(cotton kimono) after taking an onsen bath, and finally
fall asleep on a futon. See page 35.
Gardens
Traditional Japanese gardens can be found all over
Japan – in city and neighbourhood parks, at Buddhist
temples and Shinto shrines, and at historical landmarks
such as old castles.
Geisha
In Kyoto you can see a geisha dance performance or
tea ceremony demonstration or even have your own
maiko (apprentice geisha) makeover. See page 15.
Samurai
Visit the Toshogu Shrine in Nikko (see page 10), the
mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan’s greatest
shogun warriors, or become a samurai for a day at the
Edo Wonderland amusement park in Nikko (see page 24).
Sumo
Japan’s most famous mountain is also its highest, at
12,388 feet (3,776 metres). An ascent to the top is a
strenuous but rewarding once-in-a-lifetime experience.
See page 10.
Six sumo tournaments are held each year in Tokyo,
Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka, each lasting for 15 days
(see www.sumo.or.jp/eng for details). If your visit
doesn’t coincide with a tournament, you can get your
sumo fix by sampling chanko nabe, the hearty stew
wrestlers eat to bulk up, at a sumo restaurant in the
Ryogoku area of Tokyo.
Onsen
Temple stays
Soaking in a natural hot spring is the perfect way to
relax after a day of sightseeing. Onsen are found all over
Japan, both indoors and in dramatic outdoor settings
such as by the ocean, next to volcanoes and overlooking
Mt Fuji. There are even hot spring theme parks where
you can bathe in a sake or coffee spa. See page 26.
On the top of Mt Koya, the centre of Shingon Buddhism
in Japan, stand more than 100 temples surrounded by
forest. About 50 of them function as shukubo temple
lodgings, where tourists are welcome to stay overnight,
try shojin-ryori, the vegetarian cuisine of monks, and
participate in the morning meditation. See page 16.
Mt Fuji
PHOTOS: MARK BASSETT (LEFT), SOTSU, SUNRISE (CENTRE), THOMAS LOTTERMOSER (RIGHT)
Traditional Japan
Cool Japan
JNTO3 22-23 COOL JAPAN_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:49 Page 23
n
Akihabara
Bullet trains
Also known as Electric Town, this Tokyo neighbourhood
is the place to buy electronic gadgets at great prices.
It’s also a shopping mecca for otaku, obsessed fans of
anime and manga. Head to one of the many Maid cafés
(cosplay-themed restaurants) to see otaku at play. Drop
by the Tokyo Anime Center to see anime artists at work.
Japan’s shinkansen trains are the safest and fastest
in the world. You’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the future.
Naoshima
The small island of Naoshima in the Seto Inland Sea is
an art lover’s paradise. It has an amazing collection of
art museums designed by Tadao Ando, one of Japan’s
most famous modern architects, and art by the likes
of Yayoi Kusama, Claude Monet and Hiroshi Sugimoto.
There’s even an art bathhouse! For more information,
see www.benesse-artsite.jp.
Odaiba
On this man-made island in Tokyo Bay you’ll find some
of Japan’s most unusual modern architecture. Robot
lovers shouldn’t miss the National Museum of Emerging
Science & Innovation and the giant, 60-foot (18-metre)
statue of the anime character Gundam.
0motesando & Harajuku
Tokyo’s Omotesando is a grand boulevard where the
world’s top fashion labels have built iconic flagship
stores. Next door is Harajuku, a warren of streets selling
alternative fashion by undiscovered designers.
Ghibli Museum
Shibuya crossing
Home to Hayao Miyazaki, Japan’s counterpart to Walt
Disney, Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum contains beautiful stills
from Miyazaki’s films, such as Spirited Away and Princess
Mononoke. Tickets have to be reserved in advance; for
details, see www.ghibli-museum.jp/en/.
The world’s busiest pedestrian crossing is located
outside the Hachiko exit of Shibuya JR station in Tokyo.
Come here on a Friday evening to see the capital’s
trendsetting teenagers strut their stuff.
Japan on film
Get the best views of Tokyo – and see how big the city
really is – from the tallest freestanding tower in the world,
the 2,080 feet (634 metre)-high Tokyo Skytree. Details
on www.tokyo-skytree.jp. It’s open from 8am until 10pm,
and adult tickets cost ¥2,000 (children’s tickets are less).
For a free alternative, check out the views from the Tokyo
Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku.
Head to Park Hyatt Tokyo to re-live Lost in Translation
or to the streets of Gion to feel like you’re on the set
of Memoirs of a Geisha. Locations for Tom Cruise’s
The Last Samurai included Engyo-ji Temple in Himeji.
In 2013, Japan will be the setting for Wolverine, starring
Hugh Jackman, and 47 Ronin, starring Keanu Reeves.
Tokyo Skytree
?????????????
Modern Japan
PHOTOS: OSAMU NAKAMURA (LEFT), FUMIE SUZUKI/TIME OUT (CENTRE), WAKAYAMA PREFECTURE (RIGHT)
In Japan’s metropolises, it is the country’s modern urban side that is most
visible – neon lights, outrageous fashions, futuristic gadgets, avant-garde
architecture, manga – though you’ll also find historic inns and ancient
temples. The countryside is dominated by more traditional entertainments,
such as onsen spas, Buddhist retreats and ryokan inns, but also has its
high-tech touches. Here’s how to enjoy the best of both worlds.
JNTO3 24-27 JAPAN FOR FAMILIES_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:50 Page 24
Japan for Families
apanese pop culture is a worldwide phenomenon,
with children everywhere playing on Nintendo and
PlayStation games consoles, wearing Hello Kitty
T-shirts, and watching cartoons like Dragon Ball Z,
Pokémon and Astro Boy or anime films such as the
Oscar-winning Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle.
As a result, kids are more likely to be begging their
parents to take them to Disneyland in Japan, rather than
in Florida or Paris. There’s plenty to keep both children
and adults entertained: here are some suggestions.
J
Japan for Families
Shopping
An absolute must for teenagers is Tokyo’s Harajuku
district, made famous by Gwen Stefani in her song
‘Harajuku Girls’. It’s the epicentre of Japan’s most
extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles, but also
offers shopping for grown-ups and some historic sights.
The focal point is pedestrianised Takeshita Dori and
nearby side streets, which are lined with fashion
boutiques, second-hand clothes shops, quirky jewellery
stalls and fast-food outlets geared towards trendconscious teens. The best time to visit is on Sunday,
when the area heaves with youngsters, including
‘cosplay’ (costume play) aficionados dressed up in
bizarre outfits to resemble characters from animated
films and manga comic books. The bright, brash
Shibuya district is also a playground for Tokyo’s
youths, with innumerable shops, cafés, clubs, bars
and restaurants catering for their tastes: pedestrian
street Center Gai is where to see all the action.
For younger members of the family, Tokyo’s
Kiddyland (www.kiddyland.co.jp) and multistorey
Hakuhinkan (www.hakuhinkan.co.jp) are among the
most popular toy shops in Japan. Fans of Pikachu and
friends should make tracks for the Pokémon Centre.
Technology & transport
As home to some of the world’s most successful
electronic and automobile companies, Japan has plenty
of technology-related attractions aimed at families.
In Tokyo, Honda Welcome Plaza offers regular
demonstrations of some of the world’s most advanced
robots, while at Toyota’s Mega Web children can ride
hybrid mini cars while their parents test drive the latest
road models. On the same site is the giant ‘Stream of
Starlight’ Ferris wheel – at 383 feet/115 metres, one of
the highest in the world – which is illuminated with
multicoloured kaleidoscopic patterns at night. For a fun
and educational experience, don’t miss the interactive,
bilingual National Museum of Emerging Science
& Innovation.
A great way to see Tokyo is a river cruise on the
space-age Hotaluna water bus (www.suijobus.co.jp).
The boat passes under 13 bridges en route from futuristic
Odaiba to the old downtown area of Asakusa, home to
the city’s most famous temple, Senso-ji. Hotaluna has an
open-air viewing deck on top and serves gelato on board.
You’ll also get a good look at the Rainbow Bridge
spanning Tokyo Bay. Locals enjoy the ride too, as it
offers a refreshing perspective on well-known landmarks.
Wannabe train drivers and fans of Thomas the Tank
Engine will also enjoy a ride on a futuristic shinkansen,
the original high-speed train.
Theme parks
Japan offers an amazing range of family-oriented
amusement parks, including:
Edo Wonderland (www.edowonderland.net).
A historical theme park in Nikko. For a unique souvenir,
get a portrait of the family dressed in ninja, samurai
and geisha costumes.
Fuji-Q Highland (www.fuji-q.com). Thrills and spills
galore at this amusement park near Mt Fuji, with five
rollercoasters including the towering Fujyama.
KidZania (www.kidzania.jp). An ‘edutainment’ park
in Tokyo where children can try out adult roles in
realistically simulated workplaces such as being a pilot,
a scientist, a firefighter or even a fashion designer.
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center (www.legoland
discoverycenter.jp/tokyo/en). It’s like you’ve just jumped
into the biggest box of LEGO bricks ever!
Sanrio Puroland (www.puroland.co.jp). The Tokyo
home of Hello Kitty and all of Sanrio’s other characters.
Toei Kyoto Studio Park (www.toei-eigamura.com).
A film set and theme park in one. See ninja and samurai
performance or have your whole family made over as
samurai and geisha by movie make-up artists.
Tokyo Disney Resort® (www.tokyodisneyresort.
co.jp). Two adjoining parks on Tokyo Bay, Disneyland
and DisneySea. The latter, the only one in the world,
has a nautical theme, with rides based on Disney works
such as The Little Mermaid and Aladdin.
Universal Studios Japan® (www.usj.co.jp). Famous
Hollywood movies, including Spiderman, Shrek and
Jurassic Park, feature at this film theme park in Osaka.
School trips
Japan is also a fantastic destination for school trips.
JNTO can help British schools find a matching
establishment in Japan for educational or exchange visits,
and also advise on itineraries. For a free guide to Japan
school trips, email trade@jnto.co.uk.
Winter Sports
W
Another plus is that visitors get a completely different
cultural experience compared to skiing in Europe or
the US. Sake and noodles make a change from Western
fare, and the country’s numerous onsen (hot springs)
are the perfect place to unwind after a day on the slopes.
Because the resorts are well served by public transport,
visitors can combine a skiing holiday with a city trip to
Tokyo or Kyoto. An annual winter highlight in Hokkaido
is the Sapporo Snow Festival in early February. And
don’t miss the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Wild
Monkey Park in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture,
where you can see macaques soaking in the hot springs.
POPULAR RESORTS
In Hokkaido, Niseko (www.niseko.ne.jp/en) is probably
the most popular resort with foreigners, with excellent
snow conditions, birch tree-lined runs and great views
of Mt Yotei. Furano (www.furanotourism.com) is ideal
for families and more mature skiers, while Rusutsu
(http://en.rusutsu.co.jp) has a great snowboarding park.
On the central island of Honshu, the best resorts
are located in the mountainous prefectures of Niigata
and Nagano. Shiga Kogen (www.snowjapan.com/e/
shiga-kogen-guide/index.html) is the biggest skiable
area in Japan, with 21 interlinked resorts all covered
by one lift pass. Hakuba (http://vill.hakuba.nagano.jp/
english/index.html), at the foot of the Japanese Alps,
also offers a mix of resorts, while compact Nozawa
Onsen (www.nozawaski.com/winter/en) is a good
choice for a traditional Japanese atmosphere and
plenty of hot springs. Further north, in Yamagata
Prefecture, Zao Onsen (www.zao-spa.or.jp/english/
index.html) is a small onsen village famous for its
‘snow monsters’ – outlandish shapes formed by trees
covered in snow and ice.
For detailed information on every ski resort in Japan,
including photographs, maps, snow reports and resort
reviews, visit www.snowjapan.com.
Snow monkeys,
Jigokudani
Winter Sports
hen people think of Japan, they probably think
of temples, sushi or cherry blossom, rather than
winter sports. But it’s a great destination for
skiing and snowboarding holidays. Over 70 per cent
of this volcanic country is mountainous, and chilly
winds blowing in from Siberia mean that for at least
four months of the year the mountains in the central
highlands and northern regions are blanketed with snow,
making Japan’s ski areas among the best in the world.
Japan was the first Asian country to host Winter
Olympics, in Sapporo in 1972, and then again in Nagano
in 1998. Until recently European skiers have been a
rarity, but that’s set to change as plenty of British
tour operators now offer winter packages to Japan,
including leading ski specialists such as Crystal and Ski
Independence. And there’s a huge choice of resorts –
an estimated 600 in total, from the northern island of
Hokkaido to Kyushu in the south. Many are quite small,
but overall quality is high, with modern lifts, well-tended
slopes and some of the best powder in the world. The
season is long, with the first snow arriving in November,
most resorts opening in December, and reliable and
abundant snowfall meaning that some locations stay
open until early May. The terrain is often gentler than
in the European Alps, making ideal conditions for
beginners and intermediates, though experts have
excellent off-piste opportunities. Night skiing and
other activities, such as cross-country skiing and
snowmobiling, are also available.
Snowboarding and skiing are very popular with
young Japanese, so resorts are careful to keep prices
low. An average full-day lift pass typically costs about
¥4,500, and one-day hire of skis, boots and poles is
around ¥3,000-¥5,000. The larger resorts offer a wide
choice of accommodation options; rates per person per
night range from around ¥6,000 including two meals at
a minshuku (Japanese B&B) or skiers’ lodge, to ¥20,000
upwards without meals at a top-end hotel.
Cartoon Culture
hen Japanese culture was presented at the 1867
World Expo in Paris, it created a European boom
in all things Japanese. Known as Japonism, this
enthusiasm for Japanese culture had a particular influence
on the art world, when woodcut prints from the ukiyo-e
school of painting transformed European impressionism.
Japan’s creative influence on the world remains strong,
thanks to the worldwide popularity of Japanese animation
and comics. Known as manga, Japanese comics amount
to almost 40 per cent of everything published in Japan.
The wide-reaching appeal of manga can be attributed
to the huge variety of interests they cover – sport, school
life, science fiction and fantasy, romance, business, war
and even social issues. You can find manga magazines
as thick as phone directories, and epic stories that take
numerous volumes to complete. Manga artists hold the
same status as writers in Japan, and their influence is
now being keenly felt in the West – manga has been the
fastest growing book category in the US for some years.
The Japanese anime (‘animation’) industry has also
developed, keeping pace with the comic culture. Anime
directors have produced refined stories dealing with
profound themes, and their unique presentation and use
of graphic techniques have improved despite low budgets.
Today, works by the likes of Studio Ghibli, Pocket
Monster and Dragon Ball earn high praise as Japanese
anime while also exerting considerable influence on
Hollywood movies. Studio Ghibli’s film Spirited Away
won many awards, including an Oscar for Best Animated
Feature, while Candy Candy and UFO Robo Grendizer
are well known at home and popular abroad too.
Any discussion of contemporary Japan’s anime and
comic culture is incomplete without mention of its
obsessed fans. Otaku are passionate consumers and
harsh critics of Japanese animation and comics, with
both an exhaustive knowledge of their favourite works
and an insatiable thirst for related products.
Ghibli Museum 1-1-83 Shimorenjaku, Mitaka-shi
(0570 055777, www.ghibli-museum.jp/en). Mitaka
station (JR line). Open 10am-6pm Mon, Wed-Sun.
Kyoto International Manga Museum Karasuma-Oike,
Nakagyo-ku (075 254 7414). Karasuma-Oike station on
Kyoto City subway (Karasuma or Tozai line).
Tokyo Anime Centre Akihabara UDX 4F, 4-14-1
Soto-Kanda, Chiyoda-ku (03 5298 1188, www.anime
center.jp). Akihabara station (JR line, Tsukuba Express
or Hibiya line). Open 11am-7pm Tue-Sun.
Cartoon Culture
W
Tokyo
Anime Centre
Hot springs
Like a giant soaked sponge, Japan literally leaks
from thousands of hot springs right across the
country. At some 1,800 of these springs, resorts
have been set up: some are historic, others are more
modern. These onsen rank among Japan’s most
enjoyable attractions, and offer a mind-boggling array
of variations on the seemingly simple act of soaking
in hot mineral waters. Here are some of the best:
Kusatsu Onsen (Gunma Prefecture) This resort
area, which boasts Japan’s most bountiful natural
hot spring, has been renowned for centuries.
Hakone Yumoto Onsen (Kanagawa Prefecture)
Dating back 1,000 years, this is the most venerable
of all the many hot springs in the Hakone area.
Yudanaka Onsen (Nagano Prefecture) This resort
is notable for its monkeys, who enjoy the hot water
so much that they have their own special bath.
Kinugawa Onsen (Tochigi Prefecture) Located in a
picturesque river valley a little over an hour north of
Tokyo, this hot spring provides great scenic views.
Dogo Onsen (Ehime Prefecture) Situated on the
island of Shikoku, this is Japan’s oldest hot spring
resort: its history dates back 3,000 years.
Beppu Onsen (Oita Prefecture) One of Japan’s top
resorts, located on the southern island of Kyushu.
Ibusuki (Kagoshima Prefecture) Also on Kyushu,
this is a resort with a difference: instead of hot
water, visitors are buried up to their necks in hot
sand, which is said to have great health benefits.
Be sure to observe onsen etiquette:
• Communal bathing is the custom. Before entering
the bath, disrobe in an anteroom and place your robe
and underclothes in a basket or shelf compartment.
• Don’t worry about going in naked: inns provide
bathers with a hand-towel to drape over their midriff.
• Be sure to wash and rinse thoroughly at the
showers and taps outside the bath: it’s considered
very bad form to get soap in the bath itself. Then
you can climb into the bath for a good soak.
Annual Events
apan has hundreds of events and matsuri (festivals)
throughout the year; here are some of the main ones.
For what’s on in Tokyo, see page 6.
J
accompanied by people in traditional nebuta costumes,
dancing wildly and playing flutes and drums.
Sapporo Snow Festival
Where Hiroshima, Chugoku. When 6 Aug.
At 8.15am – the exact time that the atomic bomb was
dropped on Hiroshima in 1945 – the Bell of Peace rings
out and sirens sound throughout the city. This is followed
by a minute’s silence, which is observed throughout the
country. In the evening, thousands of lanterns are set
adrift on the Ota river, with prayers for world peace.
Where Sapporo, Hokkaido. When early Feb.
Winter is celebrated in style in Hokkaido’s capital,
Sapporo, when two million visitors come to admire the
huge and elaborate snow and ice sculptures lining the
main thoroughfare, Odori Park.
Tagata Fertility Festival
Where Komaki, Chubu. When Mar.
One of the country’s more eccentric festivals.
Middle-aged men carry an 800lb wooden phallus
down the streets of Komaki. Crowds of
cheering and slightly intoxicated locals
and foreigners, and pregnant women,
push and shove for the chance to
rub the sacred member, which
Nebuta
they believe will bring luck
Matsuri
and fertility.
Gion Matsuri
Fuji Rock Festival
Where Niigata, Chubu. When late July.
Inspired by the UK’s Glastonbury Festival, Japan’s
premier music fest (founded 1997) regularly attracts
more than 100,000 partygoers to a stellar line-up of
international bands. Although the current site is nowhere
near Mt Fuji, the name remains.
Summer Sonic
Where Osaka, Kansai and Chiba, Kanto.
When early Aug.
A two- to three-day music festival held at the same time
in both Osaka and Chiba (just north of Tokyo). Started
in 2000, it attracts a great line-up of Japanese and
international acts. Details on www.summersonic.com.
Nebuta Matsuri
Where Aomori, Tohoku. When early Aug.
Huge nebuta – illuminated papier-mâché dummies
representing historical figures or kabuki characters
– are pulled on floats through the streets of Aomori,
Awa-Odori Folk Dance Festival
Where Tokushima, Shikoku. When 12-15 Aug.
The most famous of many dancing festivals
held across Japan. Parades of folkdancers
welcome the souls of ancestors during
the Obon season (one of the main
holiday periods), accompanied by
drums, gongs, strings and flutes.
The dance dates from 1587
when the feudal lord
Hachisuka Iemasa offered
saké to the town’s
inhabitants to celebrate
newly built Tokushima
Castle – the people became
so drunk they started to
dance in an unsteady gait.
Naha Festival &
Giant Tug-of-War
Where Naha, Okinawa.
When early Oct.
A dazzling display of
Okinawan culture, including
dance, music, arts and crafts, food
and drink – and the world’s largest
tug-of-war, featuring a giant rope over
600 feet (180 metres) long and weighing over
40 tons, pulled by thousands of participants. The
tug-of-war has its roots in a 17th-century religious ritual
for a successful harvest.
F1: Japan Grand Prix
When Oct.
Traditionally held at the end of the Formula One season,
the Japan Grand Prix is often a championship decider,
and a must for all petrolheads. After nearly 20 years at
the Suzuka Circuit, near Nagoya, in 2007 it moved back
to its original venue, Fuji Speedway, at the foot of Mt
Fuji. From 2008 it will alternate between the two tracks.
Karatsu Kunchi Festival
Where Karatsu, Kyushu. When 2-4 Nov.
This 400-year-old autumn festival sees processions
of gigantic floats – hikiyama – in the form of samurai
helmets, sea bream, flying dragons and other fantastical
creatures. The highlight is on the second day, when the
floats are pulled by hand along Nishinohama Beach to
the sound of flutes and drums.
Annual Events
Where Kyoto, Kansai.
When July.
This notable Kyoto
festival dates from the
ninth century, when the
head priest of the Yasaka
Shrine led a procession
of ornate palanquins in
an attempt to win the
protection of the gods against
the pestilence that was then
ravaging the city. The main day
is 17 July, when tall, gorgeously
bedecked yama and hoko floats
parade through the main streets.
Peace Ceremony
JNTO3 28-29 FLYING TO JAPAN_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:52 Page 28
Flying to Japan
Direct flights from the UK
Airline
Departs
Destination
Contact
All Nippon Airways
London Heathrow
Tokyo (Narita)
020 8762 8977
www.ana.co.jp
British Airways
London Heathrow
Tokyo (Narita)
0844 493 0787
www.britishairways.com
Japan Airlines
London Heathrow
Tokyo (Narita)
Tokyo (Haneda)
0844 856 9700
www.uk.jal.com
Virgin Atlantic
London Heathrow
Tokyo (Narita)
0844 209 7777
www.virgin-atlantic.com
Narita International
Airport
Most overseas flights arrive at
Narita International Airport, located
about 40 miles east of central Tokyo
and well served by both rail and
bus links to the city. There are
two terminals; both have money
exchange bureaus, which open at
6.30am and don’t close until the
last flight of the day. Each terminal
also has a tourist information centre
(open 8am-8pm).
Clients can validate their Japan
Rail Pass at the airport and begin
using it immediately on the Narita
Express (N’EX) into Tokyo.
Haneda Airport
In October 2010, British Airways
launched a new route to Tokyo’s
central Haneda Airport. Haneda
Airport is closer to central Tokyo
than Narita, and ideal for those
wishing to connect to domestic
flights to other parts of Japan.
Currency exchange counters are open
between 6am and 11pm daily.
Kansai International, Japan’s
second-largest airport, is located
in south-east Osaka Bay on an
artificial island three miles off
the coast and about 40 miles
from Shin-Osaka station with its
shinkansen bullet train connections.
Tourist information is located on
the first floor of the arrivals hall
and is open 9am to 9pm daily.
Central Japan
International
Airport
Nicknamed Centrair, this airport is
located outside Nagoya City, in Aichi
Prefecture. KLM, Finnair, Korean Air
and Etihad Airways operate indirect
flights from UK cities to Centrair.
Narita International Airport
Narita
International
Airport
JR Tokyo Station
JR ‘Narita Express’ 60min, ¥2,940
JR rapid train 85min, ¥1,280
Limousine bus 80min, ¥3,000
Tokyo City Air
Terminal (TCAT)
Keisei/Toei Asakusa/Keikyu
train (transfer once) 110min,
¥1,560
I
Kansai International
Airport
Limousine bus
75min, ¥3,000
n addition to the direct flights
detailed above, numerous airlines
operate regular indirect flights
between the UK and Japan. They
include Air France, Austrian
Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Emirates,
Finnair, KLM and Lufthansa. The
journey takes, on average, 14-15
hours. A few of these airlines, such
as Air France and KLM, fly from
several UK cities, including
Manchester and Edinburgh.
Flying to Japan
• Approx flying time is 12hrs
Haneda
Airport
(domestic
flights)
Major hotels
in city centre
Limousine bus 60-110min,
¥2,700-¥3,000
JR Shinjuku Station
JR Ikebukuro Station
Keisei Uneo Station
Keisei ‘Skyliner’ 41min, ¥2,400
Keisei limited express 75min, ¥1,000
Tokyo
Yokohama Station
Yokohama City Air
Terminal (YCAT)
Yokohama
JNTO3 28-29 FLYING TO JAPAN_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:52 Page 29
Haneda International Airport
Tokyo Monorail/JR Yamanote Line
(transfer once) 30min, ¥620
JR Tokyo
Station
Keikyu/JR Yamanote Line
Japan is not as expensive as
you might imagine and, in fact,
compares very favourably with
London. For example:
Limousine bus 25-45min, ¥900
Haneda
International
Airport
JR Shinjuku
Station
Limousine bus 35-75min, ¥1,200
JR Ikebukuro
Station
Limousine bus 35-80min, ¥1,200
Affordable
Japan
• A dish at a conveyor-belt
(kaiten) sushi restaurant can
cost as little as 70p, while
a filling snack of noodles at a
tachigui-soba stand will set you
back only around £1.80.
• A single ride on the Tokyo
metro is just £1.10 (it’s £2.10£4.50 on the London
Underground), or you can get
a one-day pass for £4.96.
Tokyo
Yokohama Station
Keikyu airport train/Keikyu train
Yokohama City Air
Terminal (YCAT)
Limousine bus 45min, ¥560
• A cup of coffee costs on
average the equivalent of about
£1.40 (compared to £1.80 in
most major UK coffeeshop
chains), while a basic burger
at McDonald’s is less than 70p
(79p in the UK).
• Rooms at traditional-style
minshuku inns (Japanese B&Bs)
can be had for less than £31
per person.
Yokohama
Kansai International Airport
Kansai
International
Airport
JR Shin-Osaka
Station
(via Tennoji Station)
JR limited express ‘Haruka’ 45min,
¥2,980 (to Tennoji 30min, ¥2,270)
(to Tennoji 60min, ¥1,030)
JR Osaka Station
City centre
Major hotels
PHOTO: MARK BASSETT
Nankai Railway
limited express ‘rap:t’ 35min, ¥1,390
express 43min, ¥890
Namba Nankai
Station
Osaka
Flying to Japan
Airport bus
75min, ¥1,700
Airport bus 60min, ¥1,500
Airport bus to Osaka city centre
and major hotels, 40-70min, ¥1,500
JR Kyoto Station
JR limited express ‘Haruka’ 75min,
¥3,490
JR airport bus 60min, ¥1,830
Kyoto
Osaka
Airport
(Itami)
JR Sannomiya
Station
Kobe
JNTO3 30-31 GETTING AROUND_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:53 Page 30
Getting Around
By air
Getting Around
The deregulation of Japan’s airline
industry and the growth in budget
airlines mean that domestic flights
have become much cheaper in recent
years, making air travel an
economical alternative to trains on
some routes. In fact, discounted fares
are so numerous that few travellers
pay the regular full fare.
Both JAL and ANA offer air
passes for overseas visitors, which
allow them to fly anywhere within
Japan for around ¥11,000 per flight
(up to five flights in total) – a great
price for long-distance travel, such
as from Tokyo to Kyushu, Okinawa
or Hokkaido. As with the Japan
Rail Pass, these are open only to
non-residents and must be bought
outside Japan and before leaving.
Travellers must also arrive and
depart Japan by international flights.
There is a limit of one pass per airline
per person and visit, and there are
restrictions on travel within peak
holiday periods (March, mid July
to August, mid December to
early January).
JAL oneworld Yokoso/
Visit Japan Fare
Welcome to Japan Fare
www.jal.co.jp/yokosojapan
The oneworld Yokoso pass is the cheaper
option, but travel to/from Japan must be
with oneworld, which includes JAL, British
Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas.
Cost: ¥10,000 per flight, minimum one
flight. With the Welcome to Japan Fare,
passengers can use any carrier for their
international flights. Cost: ¥13,650 per
flight, minimum two.
ANA Visit Japan Fare
www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/e/wws_common/fare/
special/visit.html
A very similar set-up to the JAL deals.To
qualify for a Japan Airpass, travel to/from
Japan must be with a Star Alliance carrier,
including ANA, United, Lufthansa and
Singapore Airlines. Cost: ¥11,000 per flight,
minimum one flight. Any international
airline is allowed with the Visit Japan Fare.
Cost: ¥13,000 per flight, minimum two.
By bus
Highway buses (kosoku bus) are a
viable alternative to trains for some
journeys. Every prefecture and larger
city is served by at least one bus
company; although buses are
significantly slower than express
trains, prices are 20-50 per cent
cheaper. Competition on very popular
routes, such as Tokyo-Nagoya-KyotoOsaka, makes fares even lower. The
journey from Tokyo to Kyoto, for
example, takes seven hours, with
fares starting at ¥5,000. For more
information and reservations, please
visit http://willerexpress.com/en/.
By train
Most of Japan’s vast and efficient rail
network is run by Japan Railways
(JR). One of the fastest ways to travel
is by shinkansen (bullet train), which
travels at speeds of over 186 miles
(300 kilometres) per hour. Tickets can
be purchased at JR reservation ‘Green
Window’ areas or travel agents. In
Tokyo call the JR East Infoline
(050 2016 1603, open 10am to 6pm
daily) for travel information in
English. There are also lines run by
private rail companies, mainly in and
around metropolitan areas.
Slower, cheaper trains go to many
destinations. Marks on the train
platforms show where the numbered
carriages will stop. Some carriages
are reserved seats only (reservations
cost extra), but on each train areas
are set aside for unreserved seating.
Arrive early if you want to sit down.
CITY TRANSPORT
Japan’s major cities have some of
the most efficient train and subway
systems in the world: in the rare
event of delays in the morning rush,
staff give out apology slips for
workers to show their bosses.
Services are fast, clean, safe, reliable
and good value. And – with a
little thought and the right map –
remarkably easy to use. Subway and
train lines are colour-coded for easy
navigation, and almost all stations
have signs in English, and signs
telling you which exit to take.
Subways and trains operate from
5am to around midnight (JR lines
slightly later). Rush hours are 7.309.30am and 5-7pm, and the last train
of the day can be a nightmare.
TICKETS & PASSES
Standard single tickets can be bought
at automatic ticket machines at
anystation. Many machines feature
a symbol saying which notes they
accept. Touch-screen ticket machines
can display information in English.
Transferring from one line to
another, provided it is run by the
same operator, will be covered by the
price of your ticket. If you need to
transfer from one network to another,
you will have to buy a transfer ticket
(if available) or another ticket at the
transfer point. For routes and prices,
visit interactive route planner
www.jorudan.co.jp/english/.
JR Pass
The Japan Rail Pass (www.
japanrailpass.net) provides
for virtually unlimited travel on
the entire national JR network,
including shinkansen and all
JR lines in Tokyo, including the
Yamanote line, but excluding the
new ‘Nozomi’ super-express
shinkansen. It costs from
¥28,300 for seven days, about
the same price as a middledistance shinkansen return
ticket – it’s essential for
travelling around Japan.
The JR Pass is available
only to visitors from overseas
travelling under the status of
‘temporary visitor’, and must
be purchased before coming to
Japan. You buy an ‘exchange
order’ abroad; it’s then changed
into an actual pass on arrival in
Japan at an exchange office
(show your passport).
JR East, which runs trains in
and around Tokyo, has its own
version of the pass (www.jreast.
co.jp/e/eastpass), which costs
from ¥20,000 for five days. If
you’re not intending to travel
beyond the JR East area (Tokyo
and the area to the north and
east), this is a sensible choice.
The same conditions apply.
JR Pass holders receive
discounts of about ten per
cent off room rates at JR Hotel
Group hotels. A list of almost
three dozen affiliated hotels
is provided to pass holders.
JNTO3 30-31 GETTING AROUND_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:53 Page 31
Buying individual tickets is timeconsuming, so if you’re staying for
any length of time you’re better off
buying a travel pass of some kind,
such as those described below. For
travelling from region to region or
nationwide, the Japan Rail Pass
(see below) is essential.
Hakone Freepass
www.odakyu.jp/english/freepass/
hakone_01.html
A discount excursion ticket, valid for two
or three days, covering transport to Hakone
from Tokyo and use of transport networks
within the Hakone area. The pass also
includes discounts to various attractions.
Cost: ¥5,000 two days, ¥5,500 three days.
Hokkaido Rail Pass
www.jrhokkaido.co.jp
Gives three days of unlimited use on JR
trains and JR-affiliated buses within the
AWL Travel
www.awlt.com
Discover Japan
There are two classes of JR Pass:
www.discover-japan.co.uk
an Ordinary Pass and a first-class
Green Pass (the main advantage
E-tours
of the latter being less crowded
www.etours.co.uk
trains). Each is available for periods Ffesting Travel
of seven, 14 or 21 days. The costs
www.ffestiniogtravel.com
for adult passes are listed below;
Japan Travel Centre
children aged six to 11 pay half
www.japantravel.co.uk
these prices:
JRpass.com
www.jrpass.com
Duration Ordinary Green Inside Japan Tours
7-day
¥28,300
¥37,800 www.insidejapantours.com
14-day
¥45,100
¥61,200
International Rail
21-day
¥57,700
¥79,600
www.internationalrail.com
Into Japan Specialist Tours
JR PASS AGENTS
www.intojapan.co.uk
For a complete list of JR Pass
Jaltour
agents in the UK, refer to
www.seejapan.co.uk.
www.jaltour.co.uk
area and discounts on admission fees to
cultural and tourist attractions. Cost: ¥500.
Enjoy Eco Card
www.kotsu.city.osaka.lg.jp/foreign/english/
ticket/convenient.html
Gives unlimited one-day use within Osaka
City limits on city-operated subways, New
Tram and buses. It also provides discounts
on admission fees to cultural and tourist
attractions. Cost: ¥800.
Sapporo Joint 1-Day Card
www.city.sapporo.jp/city/english/index.html
Gives unlimited one-day use on subways
and trains, as well as buses (except mileagebased fare sections) within Sapporo City
limits. Cost: ¥1,000.
Tokyo Tour Ticket (Tokyo Furii Kippu)
www.jreast.co.jp/e/pass
The Tokyo Tour Ticket allows unlimited
rides on local and rapid JR East trains within
the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo, as well as
on the subways, Tokyo Toei streetcars and
the Toei Bus system. Cost: ¥1,580.
Japan Journeys
www.japanjourneys.co.uk
JTB UK
www.japanspecialist.co.uk
Miki Travel
www.miki.co.uk
Rail Choice
www.internationalrail.com
Reliance Tours
www.reliance-tours.co.uk
STA Travel
www.statravel.co.uk
Travelbag
www.travelbag.co.uk
Top Tour Europe
www.tteuk.com
Trailfinders
www.trailfinders.com
ViaJapan Holidays
www.viajapan.co.uk
Getting Around
PHOTO: SUPER KOMACHI – EAST JAPAN RAILWAY COMPANY
PASS TYPES
& COSTS
JR Hokkaido area. Buy an Exchange Order
in your home country before you travel or
purchase the pass in Japan. Cost: ¥15,000.
Kansai Area Pass
www.westjr.co.jp
A one- to four-day pass that offers unlimited
use of standard trains and Haruka nonreserved trains in the Kansai area (including
Kyoto, Nara, Osaka and Kobe). Cost: ¥2,000
one day, ¥4,000 two days, ¥5,000 three days,
¥6,000 four days.
Kansai Thru-Pass
www.surutto.com
Gives unlimited two- or three-day use on
private railways, subways and buses in
the Kansai area, as well as discounts on
admission fees to cultural and tourist
attractions along routes. Cost: ¥3,800 two
days, ¥5,000 three days.
Minato Burari Ticket
www.yokohama-bus.jp/burari/en/index.
html
Gives unlimited one-day use on subways
and buses in and around the Yokohama Port
JNTO3 32-36 GENERAL INFO_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 10:55 Page 32
General Information
Conventions
& conferences
Japan hosts more conventions and
exhibitions than any other Asian
country, with a huge choice of
venues, suppliers and activities. The
Japan Convention Bureau can
help you find the best fit for your
meeting; for more information,
contact its London office (020 7283
2130, chad@jnto.co.uk).
Customs
The duty-free allowances for nonresidents coming into Japan are:
400 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 250g
of tobacco; three 750ml bottles of
spirits; 57g (2oz) of perfume; gifts or
souvenirs up to a value of ¥200,000.
There is no limit on the amount of
Japanese or foreign currency that
can be brought into the country.
Driving
Driving is not recommended in major
cities. However, you may wish to rent
a car for travel in rural areas, such as
Hokkaido, Tohoku, Shikoku and the
like. An international driver’s licence
is required by almost all rental firms.
Drive on the left side of the road.
Most road signs are only in Japanese.
For more on driving in Japan, visit
the Japan Automobile Federation’s
website at www.jaf.or.jp/e/index.htm.
For car rental companies in Japan,
visit www.seejapan.co.uk.
General Information
Electricity
The electric current in Japan runs at
100V AC, rather than the 220-240V
European standard. Plugs have
two flat-sided prongs. If bringing
electrical appliances from Europe,
you’ll need an adapter.
Embassies
Embassies are usually open 9am to
5pm Monday to Friday.
British Embassy 1 Ichibansho, Chiyoda-ku
(03 5211 1100, http://ukinjapan.fco.gov.uk/
en/). Hanzomon station (Hanzomon line),
exit 4.
Emergencies
To contact the police (keisatsu) in
an emergency, call 110; to call an
ambulance (kyukyu-sha) or fire
department (shoubousho), call 119.
For a public phone, press the red
button first. The person answering
should, in theory, speak English.
Health
Visitors will be expected to pay
the full amount for any treatment
received, so should take out medical
insurance before leaving their own
country. No vaccinations are required
to enter Japan.
Helplines
The Japan Helpline is a non-profitmaking worldwide assistance service.
Visitors to Japan can call 24 hours a
day about anything, from a simple
question to emergency help.
Japan Helpline
0570 000 911, 0120 461 997 toll-free,
www.jhelp.com. Open 24hrs daily.
Internet & email
Many of Tokyo’s 24-hour manga
coffeeshops (manga kissa) also offer
cheap internet services, and are
usually clustered around train
stations. Also try FedEx Kinko’s
(www.kinkos.co.jp), which has 24hour locations all around the city.
Personal computers fitted with
wireless LAN cards that meet the
802.11b WiFi standard can access the
internet in many locations around
Tokyo. An up-to-date list of wireless
hotspots in Japan can be found at
www.hotspot-locations.com.
Language
There is only one official language
spoken in Japan, which is, of course,
Japanese. However, many Japanese
are able to understand English to a
certain extent since English is
compulsory at school.
You don’t need to understand
Japanese to get by in Japan, but
learning a few everyday phrases
goes a long way to breaking the ice.
Pronunciation presents few problems
for native English-speakers;
consonants are pronounced the same
as in English, but are always hard:
‘g’ as in ‘girl’, rather than ‘gyrate’,
for example. The only exceptions are
the ‘l/r’ sound, which is one sound
in Japanese and falls halfway
between the English pronunciation
of the two letters; and ‘v’, which is
pronounced as a ‘b’. Remember to
separate each syllable; for example,
made (until) is pronounced ‘ma-de’,
not the English ‘made’.
Hello/hi kon nichi wa
Good morning ohayoo gozaimasu
Good evening kon ban wa
Goodbye sayoonara
Yes/no hai/iie
Please onegai shimasu
Thank you ariagatoo
Pleased to meet you doozo yoroshiku
Excuse me/sorry gomen nasai
Cheers! kampai
Reading is another matter. The
Japanese writing system is fiendishly
complicated and is the main deterrent
to learning the language. Japanese
uses two syllabaries (not alphabets,
because the letters represent complete
sounds), hirigana and katakana, in
conjunction with kanji, characters
imported from China centuries ago.
Learning katakana is relatively
simple and will yield quick results,
since it is used mainly to spell out
foreign words.
Lost property
If you leave a bag or package
somewhere, just go back: it will
probably still be there. If you left it
in a train station or other public area,
go to the stationmaster’s office or
nearest koban (police box) and ask for
English-language assistance.
Money
The yen is not divided into smaller
units and comes in denominations
of ¥1, ¥5, ¥10, ¥50, ¥100 and ¥500
(coins) and ¥1,000, ¥2,000, ¥5,000
and ¥10,000 (notes). Prices on display
must include five per cent sales tax.
At the time of writing, £1 = ¥143.
Etiquette
A guide to Japanese etiquette
could fill volumes and still not
capture all the intricacies of the
social rules. However, few
Japanese understand these
rules in any depth, and still fewer
expect foreigners to follow them.
That leaves just a few basic dos
and don’ts to bear in mind.
DO
• Take your shoes off. Anytime
you enter a home, public bath or
Japanese-style restaurant or inn.
If you see a raised step leading
to wood or tatami mats, it’s time
to slip on the slippers.
• Refuse a compliment.
Thanking someone for a
flattering comment smacks of
arrogance to Japanese ears.
• Use the money trays. Many
shop staff prefer customers to
place their money on small trays.
Your change may come this way,
or balanced on a banknote.
DON’T
• Pour your own beer. Hold
your glass while a fellow drinker
pours, and be sure to keep their
glass topped up too.
• Place your chopsticks vertically
in your food, or use them to pass
food. Both signify death.
• Blow your nose in public.
Sniffle or snort if you need to,
but keep the nasal juice in.
If you bear these basic rules in
mind, your hosts should forgive
your more subtle indiscretions.
In return, you will need to relax
your own rules; bumping and
barging are part of life in Japan
and rarely elicit an apology.
Japan is still a cash-based society,
and restaurants and bars may refuse
credit cards. Larger shops, hotels
and restaurants accept major cards,
but you should always keep some
cash on you.
ATMs are rarely open after 7pm
and often close at 5pm on Saturdays.
Many banks charge for withdrawals
made after 6pm, and on Sundays
and public holidays. Still, there is a
growing number of 24-hour ATMs
in Tokyo, mostly round major train
CHANGING MONEY
You can cash travellers’ cheques
or change foreign currency at any
authorised foreign exchange bank
(look for the signs). If you want to
exchange money outside regular
banking hours, some large hotels
change travellers’ cheques and
currency, as do large department
stores, which are open until about
8pm. Narita Airport has several
bureaux de change staffed by
English-speakers, open daily from
7am to 10pm.
Opening hours
Department stores and larger shops
in Tokyo are open daily from 10am
(sometimes earlier, sometimes later)
to around 8pm or 9pm. Smaller shops
are open the same hours six days a
week. Monday and Wednesday are
the commonest closing days; Sunday
is a normal shopping day.
Convenience stores offer 24-hour
shopping at slightly higher prices
than supermarkets, and are found
all over the city.
Banks are open 9am to 3pm
Monday to Friday. Main post offices
are open 9am to 7pm weekdays, and
often on Saturdays (usually 9am to
3pm) or even Sundays; smaller post
offices close at 5pm Monday to
Friday and at weekends.
Office hours are 9am to 5pm. On
national holidays, many places keep
Sunday hours (closing earlier), but
most are closed on 1 and 2 January.
Most restaurants open at 11am
and close around 11pm, though some
bars and izakaya (Japanese pubs) are
open till 5am. Some don’t close until
the last customer has gone.
Postal services
Sending a postcard overseas costs
¥70; aerograms cost ¥90; letters
under 25g cost ¥110. Post offices
(yubin-kyoku) – indicated by a red
and white sign like a letter ‘T’ with
a line over it – are plentiful. Local
post offices open from 9am to 5pm
Monday to Friday. You can also buy
stamps at convenience stores.
Religion
The Religion Yearbook issued by the
Agency for Cultural Affairs suggests
that 208 million Japanese are members
of religious organisations – and that’s
almost twice the population of the
country. It’s not unusual for a family
to celebrate birth with Shinto rites, tie
the knot with a Christian marriage,
and pay last respects at a Buddhist
ceremony. Freedom of worship is a
constitutional right.
Safety
Japan is one of the safest countries
for foreign visitors. Theft is still
amazingly rare. Of course, crime does
occur from time to time and it’s best
to take the usual precautions to keep
money and valuables safe.
Telephones
The country code for Japan is 81.
The area code for Tokyo is 03 (for
Kyoto it’s 75 and for Okinawa 98)
– although you don’t need to dial it
when calling from within the city.
To phone Tokyo from outside Japan,
dial the international access code
plus 81 plus 3, followed by the main
eight-digit number. Numbers that
start with 0120 are freephone
(receiver-paid or toll-free).
INTERNATIONAL CALLS
Different companies provide
international call services, and charge
roughly the same rates. Dial 001 010
(KDDI), 0061 010 (Softbank) or 0033
010 (NTT Communications), followed
by your country’s international code,
area code (minus any initial zero) and
the phone number. The cheapest time
to call overseas is between 11pm and
8am, when an off-peak discount of
40 per cent applies.
General Information
information
ATMS & CREDIT CARDS
stations. All ATMs display logos
showing which cards are accepted,
but most will not take foreignissued cards.
Among the banks, Citibank is
the most useful, with 24-hour ATMs
all over Tokyo (information 045 330
2890). The ATMs at Narita Airport
only work during banking hours, so
make sure you have some Japanese
cash if arriving early in the morning
or late at night.
The numerous post offices
also have ATMs that allow you to
withdraw cash on foreign Visa,
Plus, MasterCard, Eurocard, Maestro,
Cirrus, AmEx, Diners and JCB cards,
and have instructions in English.
Since 2007, it also possible to use
foreign-issued credit cards at almost
17,000 7-Eleven convenience stores
all over Japan. To find an ATM, go
to: www. sevenbank.co.jp/english/.
Average temperature & rainfall
Sapporo
Sendai
Tokyo
Nagoya
Osaka
Fukuoka
Naha
Winter (January)
Temp Rainfall
°F
°C
mm
26.4 -4.1 111
34.7 1.5 33
42.4 5.8 49
39.7 4.3 43
42.4 5.8 44
43.5 6.4 72
61.9 16.6 114
Summer (July)
Temp
Rainfall
°F
°C
mm
68.9 20.5 67
71.8 22.1 160
77.7 25.4 162
78.8 26.0 218
81.0 27.2 155
80.4 26.9 266
83.3 28.5 176
Autumn (October)
Temp
Rainfall
°F
°C
mm
52.3 11.3 124
58.6 14.8 99
64.8 18.2 163
63.7 17.6 117
65.7 18.7 109
65.7 18.7 81
76.8 24.9 163
Public phones are widely available,
in stations, department stores and
on the street. You’ll need to buy a
prepaid card or have a lot of change
(¥10 and ¥100 coins) – some old
phones refuse all prepaid cards. Find
a grey telephone with ‘International’
on the screen. Blue ‘credit phones’
allow you to make calls using your
credit card. Instructions should be
given in English as well as Japanese.
Tipping
Useful websites
Tipping is not expected, and people
will often be embarrassed if you try.
If you leave money at a restaurant,
for example, a member of staff may
try to return it. At smarter joints, a
service charge is often included.
Eating out
PREPAID PHONE CARDS
The Japan National Tourist
Organization (JNTO) is the
national English-language tourist
service for visitors to Japan. Its
website, www.jnto.go.jp, is packed
with useful info, and it also has a UKspecific site, www.seejapan.co.uk.
For tourist offices in Tokyo, see page
3; for Kyoto, see page 13.
Walking guides, local attractions
and restaurant searches are available
for smart phones on the JNTO Japan
guide: http://m.japan.travel/eng/
index.php.
Several kinds of international
phone card can be bought in
Tokyo, and you can often find
promotions for phone cards in
free English-language magazines
such as Metropolis. KDDI
(www.001.kddi.com) produces a
‘Super World’ prepaid card for
international calls. The card is sold at
most major convenience stores, and
comes in five values (¥500, ¥1,000,
¥3,000, ¥5,000 and ¥7,000). It can be
used with any push-button phone.
MOBILE PHONES
General Information
Spring (April)
Temp
Rainfall
°F
°C
mm
44.1 6.7 61
50.2 10.1 98
57.9 14.4 130
57.4 14.1 143
58.6 14.8 121
58.6 14.8 125
70.3 21.3 181
Not all mobile phones from the UK
or Europe will work in Japan, though
3G models will – check with your
service provider before leaving.
Foreign visitors can also rent a
Japanese mobile, for use with either a
Japanese SIM card or your own SIM.
Pick-up points for the phones vary
from company to company, but
generally include Narita, Kansai and
Nagoya international airports, and
various major hotels. Reservations
can be made before you depart;
see www.seejapan.co.uk/JNTO_
Consumer/plan-your-trip/practicalinformation/telephone.
Time
Japan is nine hours ahead of
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Daylight Saving Time is not used.
Tourist information
Travellers with
disabilities
Japan’s buses and trains have special
seats for the elderly and disabled,
though it’s best to avoid travelling at
peak hours. The shinkansen bullet
trains have special seats for the
disabled that can be booked in
advance. More than 4,000 train and
subway stations are equipped with
lifts or escalators, including those in
major tourist areas. An increasing
number of hotels offer wheelchairaccessible rooms, though this is the
exception rather than the rule.
For more on accessibility, see
the Japanese Red Cross
Language Service Volunteers
website at http://accessible.jp.org,
or log on to Accessible Japan at
www.japan-accessible.com.
Restaurant Search
www.gnavi.co.jp/en
Route planner
Hyperdia
www.hyperdia.com
Jorudan
www.jorudan.co.jp/english/
Enter Japanese cities or Tokyo stations
and you will be given recommended routes
between them.
Visa information
Embassy of Japan in the UK
www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp
Weather
Japan Meteorological Agency
www.jma.go.jp/jma/indexe.html
What’s on
Metropolis
www.metropolis.co.jp
Tokyo’s English-language magazine, with
listings for clubs, concerts and art galleries.
Visas
The UK has visa-exemption
arrangements with Japan, and its
citizens may stay for up to 90 days.
Japan also has working holiday visa
arrangements with the UK for people
aged 18 to 30. For information, go to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(www.mofa.go.jp).
When to go
Spring begins with winds and cherry
blossom viewing. The rainy season for
Honshu (the main island) begins
in June. This is followed by the hot,
humid days of summer. Autumn sees
the changing of the leaves, while
winter brings clear skies, cold days
and even the occasional snowstorm.
Temperatures in Tokyo range from
around 3°C (37°F) in January to 35°C
(95°F) in July/August.
Summer in Tokyo can be
unbearable for those not used to
humidity. Carry a fan, some water
and a wet cotton cloth with you. Fans
are often handed out in the street
as part of advertising campaigns.
Spring (March to May) and autumn
(September to November) are the
nicest times to visit Tokyo.
The two big holiday periods, when
much of Tokyo shuts down, are
Golden Week (29 April-5 May)
and the New Year (28 Dec-4 Jan).
A collective of owners of mid-priced hotels.
The website offers direct links to each
member hotel.
Japan Economy Hotel Group
www.kid97.co.jp/~jeh-group/jehgroup.html
Reasonable room rates, convenient locations
and comfortable rooms with bath and toilet,
at hotels across Japan.
Japan Hotel Association
www.j-hotel.or.jp
An umbrella organisation composed of the
leading hotels of Japan. All member hotels
have received a ministerial seal of approval.
Japan Ryokan Association
www.ryokan.or.jp
Over 1,400 quality establishments. JRA
members must comply with a host of
regulations relating to aesthetics, privacy
and hygiene.
Japan Youth Hostels
www.jyh.or.jp/english/
Some 350 facilities scattered throughout the
country from Hokkaido to Okinawa, offering
accommodation from ¥3,000 per night.
Japanese Inn Group
www.jpinn.com
An umbrella organisation founded and
run by ryokan owners across Japan,
offering direct links to members’ premises
via its website (which also has a great
FAQ section).
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Japan has 14 public holidays:
New Year’s Day (Ganjitsu)
1 January; Coming of Age Day
(Seijin no Hi) second Monday
in January; National Foundation
Day (Kenkoku Kinen no Hi)
11 February; Vernal Equinox
Day (Shumbun no Hi) around
21 March; Greenery Day (Midori
no Hi) 29 April; Constitution Day
(Kempo Kinenbi) 3 May; Children’s
Day (Kodomo no Hi) 5 May; Marine
Day (Umi no Hi) 20 July; Respect
for the Aged Day (Keiro no Hi)
15 September; Autumnal Equinox
Day (Shubun no Hi) around
23 September; Sports Day (Taiiku
no Hi) second Monday in
October; Culture Day (Bunka
no Hi) 3 November; Labour
Thanksgiving Day (Kinro Kansha
no Hi) 23 November; Emperor’s
Birthday (Tenno Tanjobi)
23 December.
Fancy a futon?
Where to stay
BOOKING OUTFITS
The following agencies offer
online reservations for hotels and
ryokans of various categories
nationwide.
Japan City Hotel Association
www.jcha.or.jp/en
If you can bear to forgo a few home
comforts, such as a bed and soft
pillow, then staying in a ryokan
(traditional Japanese inn) is a great
choice, particularly since they tend
to be cheaper than Western-style
hotels. Ryokan also make excellent
lodgings for groups of more than
two: you can have as many futons
as you can fit on the tatami (straw
mat) floor, for an extra charge that
is significantly less than the price
of another room.
There are a few matters of ryokan
etiquette. First, remove your shoes
when entering. Staff will show you
to your room, and introduce you to
the waiting flask of hot water and
green tea. Decor will include a
shoji (sliding paper screen) and
a tokonoma (alcove), which is for
decoration not for storing luggage.
Inside a cupboard you will find a
yukata (dressing gown, worn left
side over right) and tanzen (bed
jacket), for indoor wear.
By day the futons are folded
away in a cupboard, providing much
more living space than a room with
fixed beds. Staff will make up the
futons at around 8pm. They’ll be
back the following morning at about
8am with breakfast. More expensive
ryokan usually have private
bathrooms, but at the cheaper
end of the scale you will be
expected to bathe Japanese-style
in a communal bath.
Most ryokan are family-run, so
many impose a curfew of 11pm.
If you’re going to be out later, tell
your hosts. If a curfew doesn’t
suit you, check with the individual
ryokan in advance.
General Information
information
Japan’s accommodation scene is
everything you would expect from
one of the world’s most developed
countries. Choices range from highly
exclusive hotels to humble rooms
with straw mats. Budget travellers
should be able to find somewhere to
sleep and still have money left over
for noodles.
A traditional Japanese-style inn
(known as a ryokan) provides a great
way to enhance your enjoyment of
Japan. Or if you’re interested in
meeting locals in a domestic
environment, minshuku are the
equivalent of a Western B&B.
For Tour Operators
& Agencies
JNTO London Trade website is designed to give travel professionals the knowledge and
contacts they need to sell Japan. Visit www.seejapan.co.uk/jnto_trade/trade_home.
JAPAN ONLINE TRAINING
GROUND ARRANGEMENTS
In 2012, 174,163 UK travellers visited Japan – the
highest number among European countries. This
number is increasing, but how much do you know
about Japan? JNTO’s Japan online training is very
simple, concise and consists of only six modules
packed with essential knowledge to sell Japan.
Once you have completed the modules, you will
feel confident to recommend Japan holidays to
your clients. The modules are:
The ‘Planning’ page of the website contains airline
and ground handler contacts.
1. Japan Basics 1
How to get to Japan, flight information, the best
time to visit.
2. Japan Basics 2
Visas, mobile phones and money.
3. Japanese Culture
Is Japan expensive? Japanese cuisine.
4. Stay and Explore
Learn about the JR Pass, the top-value train
discount.
5. Golden Route
Popular tourist routes for first-time visitors.
6. Special Interests
Cultural experiences, skiing and anime.
IMAGES, BROCHURES & MATERIALS
Digital Japan images suitable for websites and printing
are free to download from the ‘Image Library’. JNTO
also provides useful maps and guides for your
reference and for your clients. A general Japan guide
and popular destination guides are available. Please
email us what you require and your postal address;
we will select suitable material for your needs and
send it to you (subject to availability).
STATISTICS
JNTO releases monthly visitor arrival reports,
including visitor numbers by market. Go to ‘Statistics’
to see the latest Japan tourism statistics.
LATEST OFFER PROMOTION
Please inform us of your best travel deals and we’ll
upload them to the ‘Latest Offer’ page free of charge.
FIND YOUR TRIP SEARCH
We have a Trip search engine for Japan products
operated by UK tour operators. If your company is
not yet included, please let us know.
TRAINING AT YOUR COMPANY
For Tour Operators & Agencies
Free Japan sales training for reservation teams is
also available, so please get in touch.
Trade contact: trade@jnto.co.uk
020 7398 5670
JNTO3 BACKCOVER_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 11:02 Page 37
EXPLORE FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Time Out Guides written by local experts
Our city guides are written from a unique insider’s perspective
by teams of local writers, covering 50 destinations.
visit timeout.com/store
‘UNSURPASSABLE’
The Times
JNTO3 BACKCOVER_JNTO Supplement 26/02/2013 11:02 Page 38
Japan National
Tourism Organization
Need to know more about Japan?
Contact the Japan National Tourism
Organization’s London office – the
best source of Japan travel information.
For a free Japan information pack, please email
info@jnto.co.uk or telephone 020 7398 5678.
You can also visit the JNTO office at 5th Floor,
12 Nicholas Lane, London EC4N 7BN. Office
hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.30pm.
Extensive travel information, and a full list of tour operators offering
Japan cruises and holidays, can be found on the JNTO website
www.seejapan.co.uk
Contact your local
Japan specialist to
book a Japan holiday:

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