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Travel Japan (10 days in November)

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Shun Ryu

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Hi All,

I'm going to Japan (Tokyo) and I will based in Akihabara.

I would like to visit a Zen Temple (preference with a good Zen Garden). After checking the internet the best places apparently are Kyoto and Kamakura.

Kyoto is a little fairway from Tokyo and my idea is to sleep every night in Tokyo. However I'm pondering to visit Kyoto by High Speed Train.
Kamakura is next to Tokyo, what temples and places would be worthy to visit in Kamakura?
I don't know if there are another interesting city to visit close to Tokyo as Yokohama or Nagoya?

And what's the best site to book train tickets in Japan?

Thanks

Sun Ryo
 
Check out the Kamakura gozan, famous Zen temples established by the Hōjō. If you plan on visiting Kyoto, you should stay at least overnight, otherwise focus on Tokyo and surroundings this time.

As for other destinations around Tokyo: what in particular are you interested in?
 
Not the sort of thing you may expect to have recommended, but a couple of things you can see ONLY in Japan:

Hikawa-Maru (Yokohama)

Battleship Mikasa (Yokosuka)

Each is the only remaining example of its type in the world. One a prewar passenger ship, the other a pre-dreadnought battleship.
 
Thanks for all replies.

It seems there are a lot to see in Tokyo area (Kamakura, Yokohama...).

Would be worth to adquire the Japan rail pass to visit Yokohama and Kamakura from Tokyo?

Kind Regards
 
Unless you travel a long distance (like from Tokyo to Kyoto and back), it won't worthwhile to use Japan Rail Pass.
 
By way of contrast, you might consider visiting a non-Zen temple while you're here. By no means are all (or even most) temples affiliated with the Zen sects; the greater part of them are with one of the Esoteric branches. Famous and conveniently located on the area is Kawasaki Daishi, a Shingon Sect temple.

You should keep in mind that while temples as institutions go waaaay back, you're not going to find many very old temple buildings in the greater Tokyo area, due to carpet incendiary bombing during the war.

I would also suggest that you find time to visit at least one plain-Jane neighborhood temple besides just the famous ones which have largely morphed into tourist attractions. Just look on a map for a 卍 symbol (reversed swastika); those signify the presence of a temple. If there is an attached cemetery, take a few minutes to stroll that and have a look while you're here as well.
 
I have to say I've been generally nonplussed by famous temples. The level of monetization can be staggering. Regular temples and such usually end up being more enjoyable for me, though every now and then I run across something which deserves the reputation which made it famous.
 
Any special event in Tokyo in the next week?

And the Ghibli museum is worth to visit? (it seems we need to book with advance if not, no entrance..)

Another think I would like to see it's a cat cafe, any good one next to Akihabara?

Thanks
 
I am actually going to see battleship mikasa in January, very interesting historical site. Can't wait.
 
And the Ghibli museum is worth to visit? (it seems we need to book with advance if not, no entrance..)

I enjoyed the Ghibli museum, but give it a miss if you are not a fan.
 
Quite late but my impressions of my 10 days visit:

- I really enjoyed the trip, Japan is a confortable country to visit
- Impressive transport network
- Tokyo is a very relaxing city despite 38 million habitants..
- The people is very helpful
- The ' countryside ' it's very nice
- 7 eleven cash machines with Portuguese option.....
- Tokyo is surprisely very classy and so what classic.
- Japanese have a strong fixation with Paris or France (maybe a explanation for the last point)
- Food is really healthy and good (a strong fish culture)
- a lot of Nekos / Cats in ads, logos, mangas.....
- Starbucks everywhere
- Cleaness everywhere
- Smoking areas on the streets but in some bars/cafes is possible to smoke inside
- Like expected Japanese people mainly speaks only Japanese
- 60 % of the books are mangas, apparently
- Very safe
- Kamakura is amazing
- Yokohama is really impressive almost as Tokyo
- Tokyo seems more than just one city a group of total different cities

Maybe a negative aspect, every is very modern and there aren't a lot of old areas like the European cities. It seems Japan forgot the history.
 
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The lack of very old things is largely due to carpet fire bombing during World War II. Huge areas of the city were nothing but scorched earth.

And it really is just a bunch of originally separate cities which just grew into each other and became one.
 
Yes, I tough about this and the Japanese traditional houses are build in wood and this is more easy to be destructed by wars, fires or natural catastrophes.

Just a question:

In the Asakusa shrine I did the Omikuji (fortune sticks) and my number was the 1 (the best one...). This is a coincidence or all numbers are the 1...?
 

From memory, the numbered stick corresponds to numbered drawers in a wooden cabinet which you should then open to retrieve your fortune (written in kanji on a sheet of paper).

I don`t think the number 1 means the fortune was necessarily the best.
 
This is the copy of my Omikuji from the drawer correspondent to my stick. I think is really the best !:whistling:

 
I found people online complaining about getting only bad fortunes from Asakusa, so I guess you're just lucky (you're not supposed to take the bad ones home, there's a place to tie them).
 
I didn't know omikuji in Sensōji contains English translations!
 
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