17 Days Unforgettable Japan

This is the first time that I have taken a package Tour & Flights by Australian Based Tour Organiser “Inspiring Vacations”. The reason for this is that the majority of tours to Japan tend to be via bullet trains. This tour is a coach tour for most of the trip except from Hiroshima to Osaka, it was via bullet train.

The tour started on 04/11/2019 when we arrived in Tokyo in the afternoon. After a bit rest, I went to the Shibuya Crossing to capture the night neon light that it is famous for.

On 05/11/2019 we started our tour as a group visiting different parts of Tokyo. The places we visited including the Meiji Shrine, Tokyo Skytree, Asakusa district and Senso-ji temple and boarded a Sumida River Cruise from Tokyo to Odaiba before returning back to the hotel.

06/11/2019 was a free day. I decided to pay a visit to the Digital Art Museum, EPSON Teamlab BORDERLESS. This place filled with moving arts projected onto the ceilings and the floors that accompanied by music. The interesting part of these moving arts is that they are not only interactive but also responding to human touch.

On the 07/11/2019 we were heading toward Mout Fuji, along the way, we visited the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse located by the port of Yokohama. Then we headed for the Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at Kōtoku-in Temple. From there we went on to Lake Ashi where we cruised the lake to see the beauty of Mount Fuji. The last stop was Lake Kawaguchiko where there more scenic views of Mount Fuji.

08/11/2019 We ascended Mount Fuji to the 5th Station. From there we went onto visit Matsumoto Castle also known as the ‘Crow Castle’.

09/11/2019 We visisted Takayama, an old town with its famous preserved buildings that dated back to the EDO Period (1600-1968).

10/11/2019 We dropped by the Miyagawa Open-Air market, visited Kamisannomachi Street in the old town of Takayama. And the final destination for the day was one of the main attraction of the trip, the Shirakawa-go Village. Here we saw many ‘Gassho-style’ houses with steeply-pitched roofs.

11/11/2019 We started our day with one of the most beautiful garden in Japan, Kenroku-en Garden containing 9000 trees and 200 plant species. Then we visited a Nomura Samurai House to see the lifestyle of the Samurai during the 16-19th centuries.

12/11/2019 was a free day, I decided to head for Arashiyama where it is well-known for the colourful Autumn leaves. This place is also where the bamboo forest is.

13/11/2019 We first visited the Kikaku-ji Temple known as the Golden Pavillion, a Zen temple and UNESCO World Heritage Site. From there we went on to the Heian-Jingu (Heian Shinto Shrine), then Todai-ji (Great Eastern Temple) famed for its Great Buddha Hall that houses a 15m tall bronze Buddha. The last stop for the day was Nara Park where there are more than 1200 tame sika deers roam freely.

14/11/2019 we started with Fushimi Inari Shrine, famous for its thousands Vermilion Torii gates and finished the day with visting to Arashiyama.

15/11/2019 We began the day with visiting the Himji (White Heron Castle), one of the largest surviving-traditional Japanese Castle. Then we went on to visit a water town of Kurashiki, the Bikan Historical Quarter.

16/11/2019 We visisted an island of Miyajima, known for its forests and ancient temples. Here is a ‘FLOATING’ torii gate that currently under renovation. Then we visited the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Dome and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

17/11/2019 We started with Osaka castle which played an important role in the unification of Japan during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the 16th century. And then we visited Kuromon Ichiba, one of the city’s main food markets. And we ended the day with a walking tour of the Dotonbori area.

18/11/2019 was a free day so I decided to revisit Osaka Castle as I felt that the previous visit was not enough to explore the Castle garden.

19/11/2019 Flew home.