TuskCracker
Aug 8, 2005, 00:14
Besides Kyoto and Nara, I have this
(i know of the other thread Best tourist attractions in Japan?
LinkForum_BestTouristAttractions (http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3192)
Region Kinki, Ise-Shima
-> Oharai Machi
-> Okage Yokocho
(Upon exitting Naiku, I entered Oharai Machi and Okage Yokocho, a neighbourhood of Edo period houses and stores that was another perfect place to be during Oshougatsu for atmosphere. It more than made up for my not going back to Asakusa during the holidays and I prefer the non-big city environment here anyways. I delayed lunch for this so all the food and snack stalls were a welcome site. I munched on kamaboko, ika, sushi, korokke, but didn't get to some of the traditional Oshougatsu foods I remember, like Oden and Oshiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi), either because I couldn't find it or because of the crowds.)
Nikko City
-->historic city of Nikko
(Then buy your train ticket, pack your day bag and head off to the historic city of Nikko, a 1 hour 40 minute train ride north of Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture, where one day soon you can take to the streets, not with the customary legion of trippers, but with throngs of far more colorful revelers dressed as samurai, archers and Shinto priests.)
Ise,Japan
(This picture was taken in Ise, Japan. Went on vacation there for a weekend. That is a very beautiful place, so traditional)
Tsumago Juky in Nagano Prefecture
(Town of Tsumago Juku in Nagano Prefecture is one of the few places in Japan that has been completely kept the way it looked during the Edo Period (1600-1868).)
Ainokura
(Ainokura near the Sea of Japan in central Japan is now a rare World Heritage Site )
Uchiko Town/City
(Uchiko is a beautiful town located about 40 km southwest of Matsuyama on Route 56, in the mountains of Ehime Prefecture. Uchiko has an area of 121.19 sq. km., about 70% of which is forest. Through the center of the town, three stream run from the Hijikawa River(the largest river in the Prefecture): the Oda, the Nakayama, and the Fumoto. The annual average temperature is about 14 degrees centigrade and the annual rainfall is about 1,800mm. The soil is fertile, suitable for growing crops. Uchiko has few flat areas, and farms are mainly dotted on the riversides, hills, and steep mountainsides)
Koya-san
(Koya-san is pretty good. Unspoiled and very spiritual)
Arari, west coast of IZU
(An ordinary seaside village on the west coast of IZU,
Arari is a small fishing village without any special tourist attraction. In addition to a fishing port Arari is is equipped with quays for shipping stones quarried from the mountain. The port facilities and large cargo ships form a stark contrast to the peaceful landscape of the rural village. The beach of Arari is not especially attractive for swimmers or divers as it is small and the narrow beach is guarded by a high sea wall. Hohrai-ya ryokan is a small old hotel in Arari which has only 6 guest rooms but 250 years tradition. The original building from the Meiji period (late 19th century) is well)
Magome
Tsumago
(Magome and Tsumago are Japanese "post towns" along the Nakasendo route, used for travel between the Tokyo area and Kyoto during the Edo Period. The towns are located in the southwest of beautiful Nagano prefecture and are not far from Gifu)
Karuizawa
(Karuizawa during peak season often has as much get-away-from-it-all character as Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line. But at least it is cool. At 1,000 meters above sea level, this resort town on the eastern edge of mountainous Nagano Prefecture offers a respite for those ditching the hot, dusty city. And, despite the sometime crowds, Karuizawa has its charm. )
Temple Hase-dera
(But my favourite place was a temple called Hase-dera between Kyoto and Nara.
It's magnificently located on a beutiful hill and dominates a very peaceful valley. )
Koya-San
(Koya-San on the top of my list. It's about a 2 hour train ride from Namba Station in Osaka on the 'koya line'. At Rinkandenentoshi station the train ends and then you get on a cable car that takes you the rest of the way, it's incredibly steep. It's a really old cable car, built in the 50's. Koyasan sits about 1,000 meters above sea level so it's always a lot cooler and they get quite a bit of snow in the winter.
It's famous for being the place where Kobo Daishi founded the shingon sect of Bhuddism and there are over 100 temples in the town. There are gigantic temples, Pagodas, Toriis all over the place and some of the oldest buildings in Japan, although many have been rebuilt due to fire, earthquakes, etc. )
Enoshima Jinja
(My favoirite place would have to be Enoshima Jinja.
I went there in the winter time when there were not that many people around. The weather was very atmospheric and Enoshima was all just so cozy. Walking up the small street to the shrine you really feel nice and welcome as everybody smiles to you and is extremely helpful if you ask any questions. The shrine is actually split up into 3 sections which you ascend to. The buildings are all beautiful and they have a calming quality about them so that you cannot help but be at peace being there. In a world of paranoia and hate It is nice that places like Enoshima Jinja exist. Also there are many wild cats around who run around the shrine which is quite cute. Also it is a beautiful place to see all the different blossoms. )
Shuzenji -->Shuzenji is an old hot spring town
Sanjusangendo-->Sightseeing wise, I highly recommend Sanjusangendo. One of the most impressive temples around! Also check out Ryoanji. Nice place. Okazaki Area is also worth a visit. It has quite a few art galleries, museums, a zoo and a shrine called Heian Jingu. Basically, Kyoto has everything in terms of sightseeing. It's just the matter of what you want to see really and having enough time to do it! , and houses 1,001 images of Kannon, t
Nakasendo highway-->THE Nakasendo highway in Japan, a 310-mile post road connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, was constructed during the eighth century, when the term highway was applied not to six lanes of asphalt, but to wide walking paths.
Beginning in the 1630's, feudal lords used these official highways on journeys mandated by the shogun to and from his castle in Edo (present-day Tokyo). The route was also used by messengers, pilgrims, porters, merchants and, once, by Princess Kazunomiya, whose 10,000-member entourage was so long that it took three days to pass through a town.
For hundreds of years, the post towns along the highway buzzed with activity. But traffic on the route dwindled after the construction of railroads at the end of the 19th century, and the once-prosperous towns slipped into economic doldrums for decades. Now, hiking along that highway is an enjoyable way to spend a weekend escaping from the frenetic pace of Tokyo.
Izu Nagaoka.-->now I am living countryside which is 100km west from Tokyo.... This city is called Izu Nagaoka.... very small onsen city.... Nice place..I got here 1 week ago... and went to onsen 3 times so far. But there is nothing but onsen in this city!!!!
(i know of the other thread Best tourist attractions in Japan?
LinkForum_BestTouristAttractions (http://www.jref.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3192)
Region Kinki, Ise-Shima
-> Oharai Machi
-> Okage Yokocho
(Upon exitting Naiku, I entered Oharai Machi and Okage Yokocho, a neighbourhood of Edo period houses and stores that was another perfect place to be during Oshougatsu for atmosphere. It more than made up for my not going back to Asakusa during the holidays and I prefer the non-big city environment here anyways. I delayed lunch for this so all the food and snack stalls were a welcome site. I munched on kamaboko, ika, sushi, korokke, but didn't get to some of the traditional Oshougatsu foods I remember, like Oden and Oshiruko (sweet red bean soup with mochi), either because I couldn't find it or because of the crowds.)
Nikko City
-->historic city of Nikko
(Then buy your train ticket, pack your day bag and head off to the historic city of Nikko, a 1 hour 40 minute train ride north of Tokyo in Tochigi Prefecture, where one day soon you can take to the streets, not with the customary legion of trippers, but with throngs of far more colorful revelers dressed as samurai, archers and Shinto priests.)
Ise,Japan
(This picture was taken in Ise, Japan. Went on vacation there for a weekend. That is a very beautiful place, so traditional)
Tsumago Juky in Nagano Prefecture
(Town of Tsumago Juku in Nagano Prefecture is one of the few places in Japan that has been completely kept the way it looked during the Edo Period (1600-1868).)
Ainokura
(Ainokura near the Sea of Japan in central Japan is now a rare World Heritage Site )
Uchiko Town/City
(Uchiko is a beautiful town located about 40 km southwest of Matsuyama on Route 56, in the mountains of Ehime Prefecture. Uchiko has an area of 121.19 sq. km., about 70% of which is forest. Through the center of the town, three stream run from the Hijikawa River(the largest river in the Prefecture): the Oda, the Nakayama, and the Fumoto. The annual average temperature is about 14 degrees centigrade and the annual rainfall is about 1,800mm. The soil is fertile, suitable for growing crops. Uchiko has few flat areas, and farms are mainly dotted on the riversides, hills, and steep mountainsides)
Koya-san
(Koya-san is pretty good. Unspoiled and very spiritual)
Arari, west coast of IZU
(An ordinary seaside village on the west coast of IZU,
Arari is a small fishing village without any special tourist attraction. In addition to a fishing port Arari is is equipped with quays for shipping stones quarried from the mountain. The port facilities and large cargo ships form a stark contrast to the peaceful landscape of the rural village. The beach of Arari is not especially attractive for swimmers or divers as it is small and the narrow beach is guarded by a high sea wall. Hohrai-ya ryokan is a small old hotel in Arari which has only 6 guest rooms but 250 years tradition. The original building from the Meiji period (late 19th century) is well)
Magome
Tsumago
(Magome and Tsumago are Japanese "post towns" along the Nakasendo route, used for travel between the Tokyo area and Kyoto during the Edo Period. The towns are located in the southwest of beautiful Nagano prefecture and are not far from Gifu)
Karuizawa
(Karuizawa during peak season often has as much get-away-from-it-all character as Tokyo's JR Yamanote Line. But at least it is cool. At 1,000 meters above sea level, this resort town on the eastern edge of mountainous Nagano Prefecture offers a respite for those ditching the hot, dusty city. And, despite the sometime crowds, Karuizawa has its charm. )
Temple Hase-dera
(But my favourite place was a temple called Hase-dera between Kyoto and Nara.
It's magnificently located on a beutiful hill and dominates a very peaceful valley. )
Koya-San
(Koya-San on the top of my list. It's about a 2 hour train ride from Namba Station in Osaka on the 'koya line'. At Rinkandenentoshi station the train ends and then you get on a cable car that takes you the rest of the way, it's incredibly steep. It's a really old cable car, built in the 50's. Koyasan sits about 1,000 meters above sea level so it's always a lot cooler and they get quite a bit of snow in the winter.
It's famous for being the place where Kobo Daishi founded the shingon sect of Bhuddism and there are over 100 temples in the town. There are gigantic temples, Pagodas, Toriis all over the place and some of the oldest buildings in Japan, although many have been rebuilt due to fire, earthquakes, etc. )
Enoshima Jinja
(My favoirite place would have to be Enoshima Jinja.
I went there in the winter time when there were not that many people around. The weather was very atmospheric and Enoshima was all just so cozy. Walking up the small street to the shrine you really feel nice and welcome as everybody smiles to you and is extremely helpful if you ask any questions. The shrine is actually split up into 3 sections which you ascend to. The buildings are all beautiful and they have a calming quality about them so that you cannot help but be at peace being there. In a world of paranoia and hate It is nice that places like Enoshima Jinja exist. Also there are many wild cats around who run around the shrine which is quite cute. Also it is a beautiful place to see all the different blossoms. )
Shuzenji -->Shuzenji is an old hot spring town
Sanjusangendo-->Sightseeing wise, I highly recommend Sanjusangendo. One of the most impressive temples around! Also check out Ryoanji. Nice place. Okazaki Area is also worth a visit. It has quite a few art galleries, museums, a zoo and a shrine called Heian Jingu. Basically, Kyoto has everything in terms of sightseeing. It's just the matter of what you want to see really and having enough time to do it! , and houses 1,001 images of Kannon, t
Nakasendo highway-->THE Nakasendo highway in Japan, a 310-mile post road connecting Tokyo and Kyoto, was constructed during the eighth century, when the term highway was applied not to six lanes of asphalt, but to wide walking paths.
Beginning in the 1630's, feudal lords used these official highways on journeys mandated by the shogun to and from his castle in Edo (present-day Tokyo). The route was also used by messengers, pilgrims, porters, merchants and, once, by Princess Kazunomiya, whose 10,000-member entourage was so long that it took three days to pass through a town.
For hundreds of years, the post towns along the highway buzzed with activity. But traffic on the route dwindled after the construction of railroads at the end of the 19th century, and the once-prosperous towns slipped into economic doldrums for decades. Now, hiking along that highway is an enjoyable way to spend a weekend escaping from the frenetic pace of Tokyo.
Izu Nagaoka.-->now I am living countryside which is 100km west from Tokyo.... This city is called Izu Nagaoka.... very small onsen city.... Nice place..I got here 1 week ago... and went to onsen 3 times so far. But there is nothing but onsen in this city!!!!