Visit in Japan

[Tommo224]

Soooooooooo in April next year, I'm planning on doing 23 days in Japan!

Both scenic, photographic and some car orientated stuff.

However, I'm not really sure where to begin even sourcing places to visit and see over there!


Do any of you have any suggestions/recommendations, etc? :)

Places I've been recommended so far:
Tokyo, Miyajima, Kyoto and Fuji Q Highland Themepark


Basically I've asked a similar sort of thing on a couple of car forums, to try and get car orientated recommendations (as well as general ones), but here, obviously, if you know of places worth visiting to see the sights and possibly get some photos too that'd be fantastic!


The way my friends and I are, strange is awesome, pretty is lovely, touristy is welcomed and energy is something we're full of (generally). So whatever suggestions/ideas/recommendations/etc that you have are greatly welcomed and appreciated!


Thanks in advance :)

[junqbox]

High on my list of recommendations are-
Saihoji Temple in Kyoto - beautiful moss gardens. You need to send them a postcard requesting to visit. they don't do walk ups, under any circumstances.
Umeda Sky building in Osaka - Rooftop at night. mind blowing view, no windows to 'smear' your images.
I love architecture, so can put you onto a lot more other things also.
For the car lover, there's the Road Safety Buddha Temple they raced to on Top Gear across Tokyo Bay in Chiba provence. The buddha is carved out of the mountain.
Our trip was about the same duration at the same time of year. We went to Tokyo, Okhuma (in Fukushima provence - you can't get there now), Aizu (Castle of the last Shogun and awesome art deco onsen), to Kyoto, Meiji Mura architecture park near Nagoya and Osaka. You need to have a good idea of your general trip direction, otherwise you could end up bring to fit too much in. We're going back next year and covering some of the ground we did last time and going further south (Hiroshima).

[Tommo224]

That is so fantastic!! Thank you so much :D

[enduro]

Yokohama Sky Tower, one of the fastest (might be the fastest lift) in the world. The sculpture at the base of is it a photographers delight.
Spend several days in Kyoto.
Go to Hiroshima - food is excellent.
Tokyo is great too - everything is more expensive and smaller portion here.
Go to the Inari Shrine in Fushimi (http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Japan/Kyoto_fu/Kyoto-973793/Things_To_Do-Kyoto-Fushimi_Inari_Shrine-BR-2.html)- don't get the train to Fushimi as we did as the shrine isn't in Fushimi!!!! This can be seen just out of Kyoto.
Osaka is great too.
Do go to a baseball game. I'm not into sport, but a baseball game in Japan was a great opener for me on my first night in Japan.

Try so stay in Youth Hostels or Businessman's Hotels, both are excellent and the latter has breakfast for free, though you cannot return to your room between 10am - 1600hrs. Businessman's Hotels are about $AU80 a night twin share and normally located in the city area, have a four star feel on a budget. Youth Hostels are just that!

[Tommo224]

I got told to not bother with Hiroshima!

The 10-4pm thing shouldn't be an issue, thanks for pointing that out :)

Baseball, in all honesty I find most sports absolutely boring! But since you suggest it, may I ask what made you enjoy it?

[enduro]

The 10-4pm thing wasn't an issue for us either - except on the second day when I forgot something and walked straight back into reception and asked to get access to my room for my umbrella: NO!!!

From memory Hiroshima has a pretty cool castle and ruins. The war museum is worth seeing. Hiroshima was a day trip from Kyoto and another excuse to get on the Bullet Trains.

I've seen less live sports games than I have fingers on one hand. Seeing a game in another country between two big teams with tens of thousands of people cheering and chanting and going crazy was just awesome! They serve full strength beer and good food (they bring it to you!).

If I went to the UK, I would likely go to a Soccer match their too, just to experience that part of the culture.

[Tommo224]

Oh I see! Thanks for the explanation :)

And hey, bullet train sounds so awesome haha..

One of my mates is keen to hire a Nissan GTR while we're there, so finding good day trip ideas :) but I think Hiroshima might be too far via car!