Japan

Guide of places to travel

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It is the capital located in the center-east of the island of Honshu, in the Kantō region. It is the most populous city in Japan and the main tourist destination in the country. Together they form one of the 47 prefectures of Japan , although its official denomination is metropolis or capital . The city is the center of politics, economy, education, communication, and popular culture of the country. It also has the highest concentration of corporate headquarters, financial institutions, universities, colleges, museums, theaters, commercial and entertainment establishments in all of Japan.

How to get to Tokyo

Plane: it has two international airports: the Narita the most important in Japan and the Haneda . what it is one of the busiest airports in the world. Most flights arriving from Europe land at Narita. Haneda has more routes with other Asian countries.

Train: If you visit other cities in Japan before visiting Tokyo, it is most common to get to Tokyo by train. Bullet trains ( Shinkansen ) leave from Osaka and Kyoto every 20 minutes. The journey takes approximately 2:30 hours. Train enthusiasts who want to enjoy a long stay in a carriage can take the Trans-Siberian in Moscow and reach various points where they can take a ferry to Japan.

Ship: Although it is not worth the cost and time, it is interesting to know that there are several shipping lines between Japan, China and Korea.

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How to get around Tokyo

Bus: It is a practical alternative to the train, but it is difficult to find your way around and know which bus to take. If the directions seem hieroglyphic to you, don't hesitate to ask the bus drivers; they are generally very helpful and knowledgeable.

Train: It is the best way to get around in Tokyo. Trains are frequent, punctual, and are the fastest and safest method of getting from one place to another. Tokyo trains are divided into JR lines, and private lines. The JR Yamanote circular line runs through the center of Tokyo and connects the largest stations. Private lines leave from these stations to the rest of the city.

Subway: It is very well designed. It is very clean and fast. Two Metro companies, the Tokyo Subway and the lines Toei , they operate with slightly different rates. The subway not only runs through the interior of the Yamanote, it also extends to the outskirts. It really helps decongest the big stations.

Cab: It is a practical but expensive means of transport.

Jinrikisha: they are not a real means of transport, they are more of an attraction to visit Asakusa or walk around the Yanaka neighborhood. Another interesting way to see the city is with small cruise ships or "Suijo Bus" that takes you down the Sumida River.

It is interesting to acquire JR Pass is a train pass that allows you access to the vast majority of trains on the JR line (Japan Railways) and Shinkansen (bullet train) for a very low price.

What to see in Tokyo

Tokyo City Hall

It is located in Shinjuku and is often visited by tourists for its observation decks, which provide a panoramic view of the entire city. The Tokyo Tocho is 243 meters high and consists of two towers, each of them has an observatory at the same height at 202 meters. It was the tallest building in Tokyo until in 2007 the Midtown Tower (248 meters) was built. In good weather and clear skies, attractions such as the Mount Fuji , the Meiji Shrine , the tokyo tower and the Tokyo Skytree .

Akihabara neighborhood

It is the largest electronic bazaar in the world where legions of curious tourists come to buy the latest gadgets, software and toys.

Better known to local people as Akiba is where the otaku culture is found. Nearby is Kanda, famous for being home to temples, Shinto shrines and good restaurants as well as Jimbocho which is a neighborhood full of bookstores

Koishikawa Botanical Garden

It exhibits a wide variety of plant and tree species and includes a beautiful Japanese landscape garden. The Koishikawa Botanical Garden is also a good place to visit during cherry blossom season. Although it is not as popular as the other attractions at this time, it also has several species of cherry trees.

toyosu market

It was opened on October 11, 2018 on the artificial Toyosu Island in Tokyo Bay. He took the entire fish auction business with him. Tsukiji Market and provided tourists with the opportunity to observe the market in action and also the privilege of eating in its restaurants. It has three main buildings: two for fish and one for fruit and vegetables. All the buildings are connected to each other. Tourists through passageways and through specific routes observe the production of tuna, fish and other products.

National Museum

It is the oldest and largest of all the national museums in Japan, ahead of the Kyoto National Museum , the Nara National Museum and the Kyushu National Museum on Dazaifu . It was inaugurated in 1972 at the Yushima Seido Shrine but was moved years later to Ueno Park, which is where it is now. It displays the largest and best collections of art and archaeological artifacts in all of Japan, consisting of almost 110,000 individual objects including nearly a hundred national treasures.

Imperial Palace

It is located in the same place where the Edo Castle used to be. It is a large park surrounded by moats and stone walls in the heart of Tokyo and is where the Imperial Family of Japan resides. It is very accessible because it is close to Tokyo station. It used to be the residence of the Tokugawa shogun, who ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867. In 1868 the shogunate disappeared and the capital and imperial residence was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo . In 1888, the construction of the new Imperial Palace was completed, although during the Second World War it was totally destroyed, but it was able to be rebuilt again in the same style.

Tokyo DisneySea Water Park

It is located in the Tokyo Disney Resort theme complex, next to the amusement park Tokyo Disney Land in the prefecture of Chiba , and is divided into seven differently themed parts: Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Lost River Delta, American Waterfront, Mediterranean Harbor, Arabian Coast, and Port Discovery. Although it is suitable for all audiences, the Tokyo DisneySea was designed more specifically for adults. Inside you can find a wide variety of restaurants, even more than in Tokyo Disneyland since it is allowed to serve alcoholic beverages here.

meiji shrine

It is dedicated to the deified spirits of the Meiji Emperor and his wife, Empress Shoken. It is located right next to Harajuku station. The Meiji Shrine is next to the Yoyogi Park and its natural environment stands out a lot with the great city that is built around it. It was constructed in 1920, eight years after the emperor died and six years after the empress. It was destroyed during World War II but it didn't take long to rebuild it given its importance.

Tokyo Disneyland

It is part, along with Tokyo DisneySea , of the Tokyo Disney Resort complex and is located in the prefecture of Chiba . This park was opened on April 15, 1983 and is the first one built outside the United States since the one in Paris built in 1992. Tokyo Disneyland consists of 7 areas: Tomorrowland, Westernland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Bazaar World, Toontown of Mickey and Criteer's Country. It is the most popular amusement park in Japan and receives many visitors a day; Until three years ago, Tokyo Disneyland was the most visited in the world and the second was Tokyo DisneySea.

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Tokyo cuisine

Sushi: prepared with a base of rice accompanied with sesame, salmon or trout, rice vinegar, sugar, salt, vegetables, fish or shellfish. It is served as sachimi (raw fish), nigiri (fish on a rice ball), or makis (rolled fish with rice).

Soba: It is prepared with fine Japanese wheat noodles (known as buckwheat or buckwheat). It is served cold with hot sauce or broth.

Monjayaki: mixture of fried flours. It is eaten directly from the griddle using metal cutlery.

Fukagawa-meshi: Rice-based preparation with Asari clams.

Unagi: freshwater eel. It is usually prepared with rice or as a cake.

Yakitori: delicious looking chicken skewers with vegetables.

Gyozas: empanadas stuffed with minced meat, vegetables or seafood.

Mitarashi Dango: rice flour dumplings that are grilled over charcoal. Once done, they are placed on bamboo skewers and bathed in a sweet soy sauce glaze.

Mochis: small balls of rice, filled with different flavors.

sake: alcoholic drink prepared based on nihonshu (Japanese alcohol). Fermented rice, koji rice malata and water are usually added.

Green tea: Known as nihoncha de Different types.

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Kyoto

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It is a city on the island of Honshu that between the years 794 and 1868 was the capital of Japan , hosting the headquarters of the imperial court and other institutions. It is famous for its many classical Buddhist temples and gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines, and traditional wooden houses. It is also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki meals, which consist of several dishes of distinctive preparations, and geisha, female entertainers commonly found in the Gion district.

How to get to Kyoto from Tokyo

Plane: The closest airport to the city of Kyoto is Itami Airport in Kyoto. Osaka , which can be reached in an hour by bus from central Kyoto. Most of its flights connect Itami Airport with Tokyo Haneda Airport and a few others connect with Narita Airport. The duration of the flight is usually only one hour. The price of the Tokyo-Kyoto flight is around ¥23,000.
Train: They are connected by the JR Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line. The Nozomi trains make the trip in about 140 minutes, the Hikari in 160 minutes and the Kodama in almost 4 hours and the local trains in about 9 hours and you will have to change trains several times.
Bus: the one-way trip from Tokyo to Kyoto It lasts between 7 and 8 hours. There are both day and night buses and since there is so much competition and demand you can find tickets at a very good price.

How to get around Kyoto

Bus: Most of Kyoto's tourist attractions are close to bus stops, which makes touring the city much easier. It has several bus companies. For downtown Kyoto the most convenient is the Kyoto City Bus (green) . The red buses are from the Kyoto Bus company.

Metro: there are two lines the Karasuma Line running from south to north along Karasuma-dori Road and the Tozai Line running from east to west.

Trains: All Japan Railways (JR) lines including the Tokaido Shinkansen pass or start at JR Kyoto Station. JR Line trains are a good option to reach Arashiyama (Sagano Line) and some attractions in southern Kyoto by JR Nara Line, for example the Fushimi Inari Shrine .

Taxis: It is probably the city with the most taxis in Japan and they can be a good alternative to buses not only for their comfort but also for their rates.

It is interesting to acquire the Kyoto prepaid IC card called Icoca .

What to see in Kyoto

Kinkaku-ji

It is a Zen temple located north of Kyoto that has the peculiarity of having the exterior walls of the two upper floors covered with gold leaf. The temple was designated as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1994 and as a Historic Monument of Ancient Kyoto. It was built in 1397 as a resting place for the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and after his death in 1408 it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. Since then, the temple has functioned as a shariden, that is, as an enclosure where the relics of the Buddha are kept.

Kiyomizudera

Group of temples and religious sites located in the Higashiyama district, east of Kyoto, and Heritage of humanity by unesco since 1994. His image is one of the best known of the old Japanese capital. The temple was built in the year 778 exactly where the Otowa waterfall was and still is, a waterfall that gave its name to the temple of pure water, clean water or crystal clear water. However, despite being founded in the early Heian period, the current buildings are built from 1631-1633 as the temple burned down many times during its long history.

Fushimi Inari Taisha

It is the main sanctuary shinto dedicated to the spirit of Inari , and situated in Fushimi-ku , one of the districts of Kyoto . It is located at the base of a mountain also known as "Inari", which includes several trails to reach other smaller shrines. Merchants and craftsmen offered worship to Inari in exchange for obtaining wealth in their businesses, for which they donated numerous torii which are currently part of the panoramic view of the temple. This famous temple is said to have more than 32,000 small torii, called shrines. 1

Arashiyama

It is a tourist district to the west of the city of Kyoto, especially known for its bamboo forest and many more tourism, leisure and entertainment. It also refers to the mountain on the other side of the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop for the district. Arashiyama is a nationally designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty by the mentioned bamboo forest, one of the key points of the visit to this area of the city. From here we are very close to the small Nanomiya shrine, related to the Ise Grand Shrine and which hosts some of the most important festivals in the city.

Kimono Forest

It is a collection of magnificent cylindrical pillars lined up to the Randen station, which were installed as part of the Randen station renovation in 2013. It is called a forest because the pillars are spread out like in a forest and kimonos can be seen in each one of them. It then consists of kimono textiles dyed in the traditional Kyo-zuyen style. Each of the pillars measures two meters and is covered by acrylic fiber. There are about 600 pillars installed around the station. The Kyo-yuzen style used in this exhibition was created by Kamedatomi, a very old textile factory that was established during the Taisho Period.

Teramachi and Shinkyogoku streets

They are the two most popular shopping streets in Kyoto . These two streets located in the middle of downtown Kyoto form the heart of the city's main business district. The easternmost street known as Shinkyogoku is lined with souvenirs; the westernmost street, known as Teramachi, is a more refined place as it houses several art galleries, expensive clothing stores and bookstores. In addition, you can also find shops that sell religious items such as images of Buddha, beads and things of this type.

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Kyoto cuisine

Kyoto was the home of the emperor of Japan for almost 400 years, which has made the city very rich culinary. These are the 5 best typical dishes of Kyoto.

Tsukemono (pickles): The pickles that are considered most typical of Kyoto are: shibazuke, sugizuke and senmaizuke. Shibazuke is a crunchy mixture of sliced pickle and eggplant which are pickled together with red shiso. Senmaizuke literally means thousand sheet pickle and uses turnip as the main ingredient. Sugukizuke also uses the turnip but of a type called sugukina.

Hamo (sea eel): it is not easy to prepare, a large number of spines run all over its body. In order to make it edible, chefs make a large number of cuts. Hamo can be boiled, grilled, fried...

Yatsuhashi: It is the most popular sweet souvenir among visitors to the city of Kyoto. It is made from rice, sugar, flour, and a Japanese cinnamon called nikki. The mixture is steamed, spread, and baked to make slightly hard, crisp cookies resembling small tiles.

Matcha: It is the most valued green tea in Japan, it is made with tea leaves grown in special conditions, followed by a very careful drying and grinding process that enhances its flavor, color, aroma and nutritional content.

Yudofu (boiled tofu): tofu, water, seaweed and a sauce to accompany. The seaweed is placed at the bottom of a pot that is filled with water, the tofu is added and boiled. The way to eat it is very simple, you just take the boiled tofu and dip it in the sauce which is usually a kind of soy sauce-based vinaigrette called ponzu.

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Osaka

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It is one of the largest cities in the country and was the capital some time from 652 to 655, when the status was transferred to Asuka-kyō . in 744 turned back in capital by order of emperor Shōmu , but in 745 the capital was moved to Kyoto . It was the seat of power of the Toyotomi Hedeyoshi shogun and the powerful Tokugawa clan. It is the third largest city in Japan, after Tokyo and Yokohama. It is located on the main island of the archipelago, Honshū, at the mouth of the Yodo River in Osaka Bay. The city is one of the most important ports and industrial centers in Japan, as well as the capital of Osaka Prefecture

How to get to Osaka

By plane: There are several airlines that operate between Osaka and Tokyo. Most of these flights use Tokyo Haneda Airport and Osaka Itami Airport, but there are some that also fly the same route from Kansai International Airport to Tokyo Narita Airport and vice versa.

Train: stations Tokyo and Osaka they are connected by the Jr Tokaido Shinkansen. The Nozomi-type bullet trains take about 155 minutes to make the journey from Tokyo to Shin-Osaka station , the Hikari take about three hours and the Kodama can take up to four hours.

Bus: the one-way trip from Tokyo to Osaka lasts 8 hours.

How to get around Osaka

Train: There is a dense network of local train lines in the Osaka area, the most used being the Osaka Loop Line, Tokyo's equivalent to the Yamanote Line. The Japan Railways company also has lines that serve Kansai International Airport, Kobe, Kyoto, Nara and the Universal Studios Japan amusement park. The bullet train (shinkansen) stops at Shin-Osaka station.

Subway: is the Most useful for getting around central Osaka. The city has eight subway lines that cover much of the city, especially within the Osaka Loop Line .

Bus: if I live in a city so big and so well connected by train and metro, I don't think beneficial to use, in addition most of the information on them is only in Japanese.

What to see in Osaka

Shinsekai Ward

This is a relatively modern neighborhood, which grew up after World War II on the grounds of the National Industrial Exposition. Its symbol is the Tsutenkaku Tower 103 meters high with an observatory on the 91st floor. Site of shops, bars, restaurants open 24 hours. This area was developed to its current appearance after the success of the 1903 National Industrial Exposition, which brought some five million visitors to the neighborhood in just five months. Shortly after the exhibition closed its doors, work began to improve Shinsekai.

osaka castle

It is a modern and smaller reconstruction than the original built in the 16th century. Some old parts remain but inside it is brand new and includes an elevator and a small museum of its history and the history of the shogunate. From the top you have a nice view of the city and the surroundings of the castle, with walls, moats and porticoes. It began to be built in 1583 in the same place where the Honganji Temple used to be,

Kuromon Ichiba Market

It is a 580-meter-long covered market in the Chuo district of Osaka . Nicknamed Osaka Kitchen because restaurant chefs and locals alike come here to shop, this market is famous for its fresh fish and has recently become a popular tourist attraction. Although fresh fish merchants began to appear here in the early 19th century, it was not until 1902 that they settled here.

Minoo Park

It is a valley covered with forests on the outskirts of Osaka . During the fall it is one of the best places in the entire region of Kansai to see the autumn colors in a natural setting, since normally those seen in temples and gardens have been man-made. The best time to see the trees in all their splendor is usually in the second half of November. Like Mount Takao of Tokyo , Minoo Park is the closest place to the Osaka metropolis to find a natural and spacious place.

osaka shrine Tenmangu

It was founded in the 10th century and is the most important of hundreds of Tenmangu shrines throughout Japan devoted to the Shinto deity of schooling Sugawara Michizane. The Osaka Tenmangu Shrine has been repeatedly destroyed throughout history, the current main hall and main gate date back to 1845. It is famous for the Tenjin Matsuri festival which is held every year on July 24-25 and is one of the three best festivals in all of Japan along with the Gion Matsuri of Kyoto and the Kanda Matsuri from Tokyo .

Universal Studios Japan

It was opened in March 2001 and is located in Osaka Bay. It is one of the three Universal theme parks in the world and is the first amusement park of the Universal Studios company in the entire Asian continent and, after Tokyo Disney Resort, it is the most visited in Japan. It currently has eight sections: Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Waterworld, Amity Village (Jaws), Universal Wonderland, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Shingeki Kyojin Chūgakkō (Attack on Titan) which is the newest.

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Osaka cuisine

Kitsune udon: udon noodle soup, a type of thick wheat flour noodle, in the traditional style that includes a piece of fried tofu dipped in a sweet sauce.

Takoyaki: or “grilled octopus”. balls stuffed with octopus, ginger and vegetables. The dough is made with flour and egg.

Yakiniku: Grilled meat, where cuts of meat, as well as offal known as "horumon", are grilled over a flame and served with a flavored sauce.

Butaman: It is a Chinese steamed bun filled with pork. and vegetables, which not typical for osaka though here are the best in all of Japan.

Tsukune: Grilled chicken meatball stuffed with cheese, eaten with raw egg and a sweet soy sauce.

Kushiage: skewers breaded and fried in abundant oil

Tako Tamago: caramelized octopuses, with a quail egg inside its head

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Reservá los mejores Paseos y Tours por Japón

How to get around Tokyo

Yakitori: delicious looking chicken skewers with vegetables.

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Gyozas: empanadas stuffed with minced meat, vegetables or seafood.

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Mitarashi Dango: rice flour dumplings that are grilled over charcoal. Once done, they are placed on bamboo skewers and bathed in a sweet soy sauce glaze.

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How to get to Osaka

Yakiniku: Grilled meat, where cuts of meat, as well as offal known as "horumon", are grilled over a flame and served with a flavored sauce.

​

Butaman: It is a Chinese steamed bun filled with pork. and vegetables, which not typical for osaka though here are the best in all of Japan.

​

Tsukune: Grilled chicken meatball stuffed with cheese, eaten with raw egg and a sweet soy sauce.

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Kushiage: skewers breaded and fried in abundant oil

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Tako Tamago: caramelized octopuses, with a quail egg inside its head