Favorite City Japan

[arnadstephen]

Someone said;
--> You might want to focus on Hakone, Nara, Kamakura, Otsu,
--> Himeji for target cities.

Cities;
-----------
HAKONE has what appeal ?
NARA has what appeal ?
NAMAKURA has what ?
OTSU has what appeal ?
HIMEHI has what appeal ?



I would like to hear more ?

[Hoyu]

I really enjoyed Nara, Kamakura and Kyoto for their charming rural feel and fascinating historical significance. Yet I also really loved my time in the thriving cosmopolitan metropolis of Tokyo.

Appeal is a relative concept. :sorry: sumimasen

What appeals to me might not appeal to anyone else.

[Hoyu]

http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara-e/ssnara/img/ntodai2.gif
Nara: Todaiji

http://www.uwec.edu/greider/BMRB/culture/student.work/wardbj/images/kamakura.jpg
Kamakura: Daibutsu

http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/world/2462/2462_14.jpg
Kyoto: Kinkakuji

http://cusick.com/jeff/images/Ginza.jpg
Tokyo: Ginza District

[deborah gormley]

@kakusen,, beautyfull pics, I particulary like the kyoto one,, now that would most definately appeal to me! Thanks for shareing your pics with us:bow:

[arnadstephen]

The city of Kamakura

It looks like it is in the mountains with steep gorges
and lots of vegatation..


_.

[Hoyu]

The really cool thing is that sometimes they will actually allow you to walk inside the Kamakura Daibutsu (Gigantic Buddha Statue). When I was there last they were doing some refurbishing of the statue. Regardless, the whole Kamakura area is totally gorgeous, and the people are incredibly kind and receptive to gaijin. Much of the food and culture you might enjoy there may very well leave you in awe.

:)

[arnadstephen]

Kamakura

Is Kamakura a city, region or pefacture ?

[thomas]

It's Kanagawa Prefecture

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=2193

More info

=> http://www.japanreference.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?bool=and&query=kamakura&mh=10

[Hoyu]

Yes... Kamakura is a town in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Source: http://gojapan.about.com/library/weekly/aa112499a.htm

~ Why Kamakura? ~

It is located only 30 miles from Tokyo.
It is famous for the statue of the Great Buddha (Daibutsu).
Kamakura is surrounded by mountains and beaches.
There are many hiking trails.
There are numerous temples and shrines.
There is the atmosphere of old Japan.
(Kamakura was Japan's capital for more than 100 years beginning in 1192 when the shogun Minamoto Yoritomo established Bakufu Samurai government. Refer to History of Kamakura.)

[Hanada Tattsu]

My favorite city is probably Tokyo. I just love modern places, and Tokyo really helps. Nagoya is my second favorite, it seems pretty modern. My third is Kyoto, its on the small side, but is pretty big as well.

[Iron Chef]

Sapporo! Gee, what a shock coming from me... 8-p I also love Hakodate for it's fabulous view at night time.
:)

[Ines]

my favorite city is Osaka because my boyfrind lives there

[mdchachi]

> Hakone

Hakone is primarily famous because is relatively close to Tokyo, is in the Fuji lakes area (with great views of Fuji) and plenty of hot springs. There's some good hiking in the area as well.

> Nara

Nara is famous for its old temples and national treasures, especially the mammoth Buddha. Much less populated than Kyoto, it embodies long ago Japan better than its neighbor. It also has the hordes of tame deer and less concrete and more greenery than Kyoto so you feel a lot closer to nature.

> Kamakura

Kamakura is a small town with many famous temples/shrines scattered around. It also has the big Buddha. Normally I would take visitors here if they weren't going to go to Kyoto. It can be visited on a day trip from Tokyo. Generally I wouldn't visit both Kyoto and Kamakura on the same trip because by the time you to go to both cities you'll be sick of temples/shrines.

> Otsu

I'm not sure why Otsu is being recommended. It is a small town off of Japan's largest lake (Lake Biwa) near Kyoto. You can take a cable car up Mt. Hiei for a view of the area. Although it's close to Kyoto, if time is limited I wouldn't bother visiting Otsu. I've stayed there because I had a friend there but we only used it as a base to visit Kyoto.

> Himeji

Himeji is, of course, famous for Himeji Castle which is worth seeing and very beautiful. As far as I know, there is not much else to see. (Of course I'm sure there are famous temples there too.)


To get some of idea of what there is to see & do at these places, go to www.virtualtourist.com and look up each city and read the tips that members have created.

[Uncle Frank]

In the old days, it was a city for foreigners to live so there is a lot of history there to see. And the museum and things to do with the atomic bomb is an experence to see! The US Navy maintains a fleet there still I think? I remember how the city seemed to be in a bowl from the surounding hills. There were several high look-out spots that were great to take night-time picture shots. I always concidered Fukuoka my hometown since I was stationed there!

Frank

[mdchachi]

Are you thinking of Sasebo, perhaps? There is a naval base there and it is closer to Fukuoka than Nagasaki. http://www.trekjapan.com/gallery/Kyushu/photo100.htm

[Uncle Frank]

Are you thinking of Sasebo, perhaps? There is a naval base there and it is closer to Fukuoka than Nagasaki. http://www.trekjapan.com/gallery/Kyushu/photo100.htm

You're sooo right!! I went to Sasabo on the same trip as Nagasaki and the two places melted into one in my addled brain!! Thanks for keeping things straight!!

Frank

:blush: :shock: :blush:

[mad pierrot]

Anywhere in Kansai! Forget Kanto, if you stay in Kansai you get all of the best: easy access to Kyoto, Osaka, Nara, and Kobe. That and all the takoyaki and okonomiyaki you can eat!!!

[senseiman]

I live in Himeji.

It is a fantastic place to live, though from the tourists point of view there are only two main attractions: Himeji castle and Engyouji temple on Mount Shosha.

Himeji Castle is the finest castle in all of Japan and is definitely worth coming to town for a visit. It is really beautiful and is surrounded by a very attractive park that is great in the cherry blossom season.

Engyouji is a vast temple complex on top of Mount Shosha northwest of central Himeji. It is a fantastic place with dozens of beautiful temple buildings settled among some pristine forest. It was the location for the temple scenes in the movie "The Last Samurai".

From a resident's point of view, the only city I can imagine matching Himeji as a place to live is Nara. Himeji is a relatively small city, but not so small that it lacks decent shopping and entertainment facilities. But it is small enough that most of the city north of the station has a lot of trees and isn't an ugly concrete jungle like most places. Plus there are tons of mountains, temples, shrines, ancient burial mounds, historic neighborhoods, castle ruins (there were at one point about a dozen castles in the region around Himeji) and other interesting things to explore on weekends. It is a fantastic place, even though the Lonely planet calls the city 'drab'.