Table Of ContentTPack Jpn Ch1 V.1.4.indd i 3/11/13 3:17 PM
TPack Jpn Ch1 V.1.4.indd i 3/11/13 3:17 PM
Rob Goss f rst came to Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus
Editions (HK) Ltd
Japan in 1999 to teach
English for a year. Two www.tuttlepublishing.com
years at the most was the
Copyright © 2013 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd
plan. Like so many other
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
former English teachers,
reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means,
however, Rob has ended up staying far
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
longer in Tokyo without really knowing
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
why. Cupid’s arrow certainly played a part, system, without prior written permission from the
as did the pitter-patter of part-Japanese, publisher.
part-British baby feet that followed. Living
in a metropolis that never ceases to amaze
Distributed by
has helped too. Then there’s having a job he
North America, Latin America & Europe
loves—writing about Japan for magazines
Tuttle Publishing
such as Time and National Geographic
364 Innovation Drive
Traveler and, at latest count, some 60 other
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magazines, book publishers and news- Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930
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TUTTLE TRAVEL PACK
JAPAN
Rob Goss
TUT TLE Publishing
Tokyo Rutland, Vermont Singapore
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2
Unforgettable Japan
apan seen from afar and Japan experienced in the fl esh are poles apart.
JI grew up in a sleepy English village, and before I fi rst came to Japan more
than a decade ago all I knew of the country were images of geisha and sumo,
packed commuter trains, cool video arcades and city streets drenched in
neon—the things that occupy the narrow gaze of many a travel magazine
and documentary.
Japan, of course, does have all the above. Many of them make up my earliest
memories of living in Tokyo. The fi rst time I had to take a morning rush-hour
train, I remember feeling as if I were binding on for a 300-person scrum, elbows
fl ying and the tops of other commuters’ heads occasionally cracking me under
the jaw, a downside to having become relatively tall overnight. A few days later,
my fi rst experience of Shinjuku was like being thrown into a Philip K. Dick
novel: fl ashing lights, buildings blocking out the sky, sirens, shoulder bumps
from the crowds, and blasts of noise and air-conditioning from every shop front
I passed. It was fantastic.
But it didn’t take long to discover that the stereotyped guidebook images
were anything but typical of Japan. The Japanese don’t spend half their time
bowing deeply and munching on sushi. Girls very rarely aspire to be geisha, nor
boys sumo wrestlers. Walk into any good izakaya (pub-cum-restaurant) and the
staid, reserved image often painted of the Japanese will be shattered forever (try
Kamiya Bar in Asakusa, and you’ll see what I mean). Head out to the country-
side and things become slow, laid back and anything but high-tech. Here, it’s
the changing of the seasons that still dictates the fl ow of life for many.
Over the last decade or so, I’ve been fortunate to have traveled to almost every
prefecture of the country, from the wilds of Hokkaido in the far north to the
sun-kissed Okinawan islands way down south. I’m also fortunate to be able to
earn a living by writing about the many facets of Japan, be that in books related
to travel and culture or features on business and sustainability. But even now,
Japan regularly fi nds new ways of surprising and reenergizing me. Sometimes
it is something as simple as stumbling upon an old neighborhood for the fi rst
time on a walk around Tokyo or fi nding an exquisite temple garden in Kyoto.
Sometimes it is just a fl eeting conversation with a stranger. On occasions it’s
the familiar things that leave me smiling: nursery school kids getting wheeled
around in giant laundry trolleys or the way any conversation with someone aged
over 80 seems to begin with them telling me their age and proclaiming how
active they still are.
I hope this book will help you fi nd your own unforgettable Japan experiences.
Happy travels.
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CONTENTS
2 Introduction Chapter 2
4 Japan at a Glance Exploring Japan
6 How To Use This Book
28 Exploring Tokyo
Chapter 1 36 Exploring Around Tokyo
43 Exploring Kyoto
Japan’s ‘Don’t Miss’ Sights
53 Exploring Osaka and Kansai
9 Senso-ji Temple, Kyoto 58 Exploring Western Japan
10 Tokyo Midtown and Roppongi Hills 63 Exploring Western Hokkaido
11 Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market 67 Exploring Okinawa
12 The Great Buddha at Kamakura
13 Tosho-gu Shrine, Nikko Chapter 3
14 Mount Fuji and Hakone Author’s Recommendations
15 Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto 74 Best Hotels
16 Kyoto’s Kiyomizu Temple 80 Best Restaurants
17 Horyu-ji Temple, Nara 85 Best Nightspots and Traditional
18 Traditional Houses of Shirakawa-go Entertainment
88 Best Shopping
19 Himeji Castle
92 Best Outdoor Activities
20 The ‘Art Island’ of Naoshima
95 Best Gardens and Parks
21 The Holy Mountain of Koya-san
98 Best Kid-Friendly Attractions
22 Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park
101 Best Galleries and Museums
23 Yakushima Island, Kyushu
106 Best Festivals and Events
24 The Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa
25 Niseko Ski Resort, Hokkaido 110 Travel Facts
124 Index
128 Photo Credits
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Japan at a Glance
Geography
Situated in Eastern Asia, east of the
Korean Peninsula and between the Sea
of Japan and the North Pacifi c Ocean,
the Japanese archipelago totals 364,485
sq km (140,728 square miles) of land
spread out over 6,852 islands. The four
major islands are Hokkaido in the north;
the centrally situated main island of Shinkyo-bashi in Nikko
Honshu, which is home to Tokyo, Kyoto,
Osaka and Nagoya; Kyushu off the west- season); and in winter mostly dry but
ern end of Honshu; and Shikoku to the with temperatures dropping only into
south of central Honshu. single digits away from the mountains.
Climate People
With the Japanese archipelago stretching At last count, in 2012, Japan’s population
more than 3,000 km (1,864 miles) from was fractionally under 128 million, of
southern tip to far north, the weather which around 35 million live in the
can range from subtropical in Okinawa Greater Tokyo area comprised of Tokyo
to near-Siberian in winter in central and the neighboring prefectures
and northern Hokkaido. Between those of Chiba, Kanagawa and Saitama.
extremes the climate remains similar: Approximately 98.5% of the population
Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu are hot is Japanese, while the rest is made up
and humid in summer with temperatures primarily of Korean (5%) and Chinese
typically above 30 degrees Celsius; most- (4%). The Japanese are the longest-living
ly warm, sunny and dry in autumn and people in the world with an average life
spring (except for a short pre-summer expectancy of 82.6 years (79 for men and
rainy season and post-summer typhoon 86.1 for women), yet the population is
Mount Fuji and the tea f elds of Shizuoka
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5
The annual Doburoku festival in Shirakawa-go
declining, as the country also claims say that they are born Shinto but die
the world’s second lowest birthrate. Buddhist. In fact, it’s easier to consider
the two religions as forming one set of
Language traditional practices rather than being
The offi cial language of Japan is separate or confl icting faiths. Some
Japanese. Besides Japanese, Okinawa 83.9% of Japanese say they practice
has its own related but minor Ryukyuan traditions related to Shintoism, the
languages, while the indigenous Ainu indigenous religion of Japan, while
people of Hokkaido have the unrelated 71.4% practice those related to Bud-
Ainu language. Japanese is the fi rst dhism, which arrived from China in
language of 99% of the Japanese popu- the 6th century. However, the Japanese
lation, and with three separate writing don’t typically consider themselves to
systems (kanji, hiragana and katakana) be religious: more than 80% profess
that between them use thousands of no religious affi liation and about 65%
different characters, not to mention a don’t believe in God or Buddha.
complex system of honorifi cs, it isn’t
the easiest language to quickly get to Government
grips with. Not that you need to worry. Japan is a parliamentary government
In the main cities and tourist areas, you with a constitutional monarchy, the cur-
will be able to get by in English. Head rent constitution having been adopted
out into the countryside, however, and in 1947. Emperor Akihito is the chief of
you won’t want to forget your phrase- state, while the prime minister, as of
book. To help make the language barri- writing Shinzo Abe, is the head of state.
ers a little less daunting, a survival The legislative branch of government,
guide to Japanese is included on page the Diet, consists of a 242-member
118, which covers useful expressions House of Councilors and a 450-member
and pronunciation. House of Representatives. The prime
minister is designated by the Diet, and
Religion is usually the leader of the majority party
Because of the traditional rituals used or majority coalition in the House of
for birth and death, the Japanese often Representatives.
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6
Tuttle Travel Pack Japan
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
ull of up-to-date, thoroughly researched information written
Fby locals, the Tuttle series of Travel Packs are indispensable
companions on your global travels. Their portable size and
straightforward format make them easy to use, regardless
of whether you’re a regular or fi rst-time visitor to a country.
In the front of the book, we give you a brief overview of Japan,
including its geography, climate, people, language, religion and
government. Chapter 1 then covers Japan’s ‘Don’t Miss’ Sights,
detailing the top 17 places to visit and things to do—from stay-
ing at a temple on sacred Mount Koya to exploring the contem-
porary art galleries of Naoshima Island to skiing the perfect
powder snow in Niseko on the northern island of Hokkaido.
In Chapter 2, we take a more detailed look at the varied
regions and major cities that make up Japan, starting with the
ultramodern, unerringly traditional and at times quirky faces Moun
of the capital Tokyo, and ending up on the subtropical islands
of Okinawa in the far south. In between, we explore several
not-to-miss areas within day-trip range of Tokyo, including
the ancient shrines and temples of Kamakura and the popular
weekend retreat of Hakone, before heading west to Kyoto, the
former capital and for many the cultural and spiritual heart
of Japan. We also delve into Osaka, Japan’s vibrant second city,
and then the major islands of Kyushu and Shikoku.
The largest section of the book is devoted to Chapter 3:
Author’s Recommendations. Here, our Tokyo-based author
makes his picks for Japan’s best hotels and restaurants, top
kid-friendly activities, must-do activities in the great outdoors,
must-see galleries and museums, and more. Lastly, the Travel
Facts section presents all you need to know before you go,
including the lowdown on visas, health and safety advice,
important points of etiquette, essential Japanese, and much
more to help take the stress out of your trip.
While all information is correct at time of print, do make sure
to call ahead if you plan to visit any of the venues listed within,
as places tend to frequently open and close, especially in cities
that change as often and as rapidly as Tokyo and Osaka. As
such, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for any errors
that may be contained within the Travel Pack.
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