This short video was taken during my visit in summer of 2011.

History of Kinkaku-ji

Kinkaku-ji was built in the Kamakura period (between 1185 – 1332) as an aristocrat’s country estate. In 1397 it was taken over by a retired shogun who transfored the temple into an elegant recreational villa. He had aspirations of becoming a dynastic figure, hence the gold leaf gilding.

A wide view of the temple and pond from the main photo spot.

Taken from the very edge of the main photo spot.

When the shogun, Yoshimitsu, died in 1422 it was converted into a Zen Buddhist Temple. After death, this shogun was awarded the name “Shari-den Kinkaku” (金 = kin/gold). That’s why today the temple is commonly refered to as Kinkaku-ji (or Golden Pavilion) and not its real name of Rokuonji Temple.

Design of the Golven Pavilion Temple

The temple has a very interesting design which is the inspiration for Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion Temple).

The brilliance of the temple in real life just can't be done just through photos, even HDR photos.

The first floor (ground floor) contains 2 statues and is built in the court noblemen’s residence style, reflecting an era of around 1000 years ago.

1st floor - you can just make out the statues inside.

The second floor (gilded in gold leaft) is designed in the samurai warriors house style and contains 2 statues.

2nd Floor.

The third floor (also gilded in gold leaf) is built in a Zen temple style. It also holds ashes, said to be those of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism.

3rd Floor, including the Golden Phoenix on top.

On top of the temple is a golden figure of “ho-o” – a classical Chinese mythical phoenix bird.

Close-up of the golden 2nd and 3rd floors and the "ho-o" mythical bird.

The surprising thing about Kinkaku-ji, aside from the sheer brilliance of the temple itself which pictures cannot do justice, is the garden of the temple grounds.

The garden utilises the sight of a local mountain and specially selected rocks have been placed in the pond. There is also a lookout area along the path.

Anmintaku Pond in the temple grounds.

Somewhere along the strolling garden path.

Taken from the lookout area.

There are also various buildings such as halls and tea houses in the temple grounds. And of course, a souvenir shop to buy lucky charms and other standard stuff.

Hojo Building.

Visiting Kinkaku-ji

The grounds of Kinkaku-ji are relatively smalled when compared to other sites in Kyoto. Your visit would last around 45 minutes, with plenty of photo taking time and a liesurely stroll through the entire garden.

From Kyoto station it is a 15-20 minute bus ride to the entrance of the temple grounds. You’ll find signs in English at the station as well as a screen inside the bus telling you where you are and when the stop to Kinkaku-ji is coming up.

If you’re spending the day in Kyoto, be sure to grab the 500 yen all day bus pass. The buses run to all the major historical sites and areas and a one way trip usually costs 200 yen. There are vending machines for these passes at the bus stops in front of Kyoto station, if you have trouble finding them, go to the information center inside the station where the English speaking staff can help you.

Related posts:

1. Kyoto – things to do
2. Pictures of Japan – Best of JTM Photos 51 to 100
3. Japanese cherry blossom – photos and info

Audience’s Top 3

Here are the top 3 photos as decided by the views on each photo.

By far the most viewed of all the photos, this Toyota FJ Cruiser has golden custom artwork representing elements of Nagoya castle.

A local temple near my house in Toyota city, Aichi.

Kamo River in Kyoto during a sunrise walk.

Editor’s Top 3

The next 3 photos are my personal favourites. They either didn’t get the attention they deserved or it just reminds me of a great time I had during my travels in Japan.

Daigo-ji is a World Heritage Site and the oldest wooden structure in Kyoto. One of my favourite places in Kyoto.

A pile of mini-torii gates at Atsuda Jingu temple in Nagoya.

The gorge is near the Nakasendo, a historic route between old Kyoto and Edo (modern day Tokyo).

The only ways to stay up to date with the JTM Photo series is @JapanTravelMate on Twitter or my photos of Japan on Flickr.

Related posts:

1. Pictures of Japan – The best of JTM Photos 1 to 50
2. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos
3. Japanese cherry blossom – photos and info

The trip took me to Okayama (west of Himeji and Osaka), then a day trip to the amazing Awa Odori festival of Tokushima and ending with a few days in Kyoto. Although I’d been Kyoto before, there really is so much to see in this beautiful city so I had to go back.

I’ll be posting more detailed articles (with photos and some videos) on each of the places I visited below. Getting email alerts or grabbing the RSS (Feedburner) feed is the best way to stay up to date, and make sure you receive notice when the in-depth articles are posted.

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Shinkansen from Nagoya to Okayama

Read the post: Shinkansen: riding the bullet train in Japan – photos and HD video with all the information you need about bullet trains in Japan.

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden the bullet train. The other option to get to Okayama was an overnight bus (leaving Nagoya at about 11PM, arriving in Okayama at 7AM), and I can’t sleep on buses. So, I took the Nozomi shinkansen, it takes about 1.5 hours.

HDR photo of one of the 700 series shinkansen waiting at the station.

I’ve never ridden the Nozomi before, when I used bullet trains before in Japan it was using the JR Pass. With the JR Pass you can use almost all bullet trains, except for the Nozomi. The Nozomi is a super express, usually the newer 700 series super-cool looking train. I got to the platform very early to take some photos and videos of the shinkansen.

In Okayama I met some of my girlfriend’s family and friends. Had a fun time at an Izakaya with a cool Japanese guy who is an electronic music producer.

A day trip to Awa Odori in Takamatsu, Shikoku

Read the post: Awa Odori Festival in Tokushima, Shikoku – lots of photos and HD video from the front row of the festival’s main stage.

Next on the itinerary was a bus trip from Okayama to spend the day at Takamatsu for Awa Odori. Actually, it was only a few hours, but we saw the best of it.

The bus left Okayama station around 9AM. We stopped about everything 30 minutes at designated road-rest areas along the way. The best bit of the bus trip was travelling over the Seto Inland sea and the amazingly huge bridges.

Chanting and dancing, was truly a spectacle.

Awa Odori was just awesome. Since we were with a kind of tour, we had purchased seat tickets and had a great seat. We were in the second row of the main festival dancing stage. There are 4 such stages, as well as dancing in the streets. The dancing in the streets is free for all, so it’s hard to get such a good spot to see the dancing.

Day trip to Kurashiki

Read the post: Kurashiki and the historic Bikan district – a bit of history on a sweltering day.

Kurashiki is a unique small town on the outskirts of Okayama city. It is unique and famous for its buildings which have white walls with dark wooden frames. We spent a little over an hour roaming the streets.

A typical white walled building in Kurashiki, this one selling souvenirs.

But it was a very hot and humid day, so we didn’t last too long.

Night trip to Karakouen

Read the post: Korakuen in Okayama at Night – One of Japan?s Top 3 Most Beautiful Gardens.

A botanical/historical style garden across the river from Okayama, Karakouen holds an event each summer where for about 2 weeks, the garden is lit up at night.

A once in a year opportunity to stroll the gardens at night.

There were many awesome sights, including seeing Okayama castle lit up across the river. I utilised my long exposure photography practice from the previous nights bus trip with average results.

A few days in Kyoto

Then we headed to Kyoto for a few days. There was a lot happening in Kyoto, as it was Obon (a festival period honouring the dead) and many families come to Kyoto for various rituals. After a ritual or two, I set off on a mission to see as many of Kyoto’s World Heritage sites that I could in just a few short days…

Kinkaku-ji

Read the post: Amazing Golden Pavilion Temple, Kinkaku-ji, Kyoto – lots of photos and a HD video.

After seeing so many photos of this place, the pure impression of seeing the Temple of the Golden Pavilion (as it is sometimes called in English) was that of pure amazement. Perhaps the most famous icon of Japan, there was a huge amount of tourists strolling through.

HDR photo of the famous temple.

Keep an eye on japantravelmate.com, for an in-depth, photo heavy post on my visit to Kinkaku-ji, including a HD video.

Nijo-jo

Nijo castle is situated in the heart of the city. However it’s not your typical castle. I was expecting to see a large building, stereotypical of a castle structure (like Himeji castle). However, Nijo-jo is more of a group of buildings, surrounded by a moat and layers of thick walls and battlements.

The main moat and high walls of the central area of Nijo-jo.

Still very impressive, and very easy to access.

Kyoto Gosho

The Kyoto Imperial Palace, and former residence of the Emperor. The palace contains several buildings, and although it isn’t a world heritage site, the grandeur of this place is very impressive.

A main hall inside the Kyoto Gosho (Kyoto Imperial Palace).

Accessible only by guided tour (tours available in English), entry is free.

Bicycle Hire

The above all happened on day 1 of my Kyoto trip. We got around all day on some very comfortable bicycles, which were hired from near Kinkaku-ji in the morning and then dropped off near Kyoto station in the late afternoon.

Comfortable and almost new bikes, great way to get around Kyoto.

9 Hours capsule hotel

I’d been really keen to stay here, after seeing this place on the net a few months before. This really is a special capsule hotel, one of the newest in Kyoto. It is within walking distance to the famous Gion area of Kyoto.

A single capsule in the hotel, a specially formed mattress and pillow make for a great sleep.

Walk to Shimogamo-jinja

On the second day I got up before the sun came up, to walk north along the Kamo River towards Shimogamo Shrine is another World Heritage site, open free to the public from 6AM.

A little north of the city, near a fork in the Kamo river you'll find Shimogamo Shrine.

500 yen bus pass

After an entire day cycling, and with the temperature around 35 degrees, on day 2 I got a 500 yen bus pass. It lasts the entire day and get’s you to most of the major sites around Kyoto. A typical one way trip on the city bus is 200 yen.

Probably the cheapest way (besides walking) to get around Kyoto.

Ginkaku-ji

Everyone told me Ginkaku temple (a.k.a Temple of the Silver Pavilion) was nothing impressive at all. Being a Zen Buddhist temple, I found a quiet and welcoming serentity to the temple and its beautiful gardens.

HDR photo of the Silver Pavilion Temple.

Daigo-ji

I was looking for outstanding things in Kyoto, and at Daigo-ji you can stand beside the five-storey pagoda (gojunoto in Japanese), which is Kyoto’s oldest wooden structure that is still in existence today.

The five-storeys of the main pagoda temple in Daigo-ji.

There are many grand temples, modest shrines and beautiful gardens throughout the Daigo-ji temple area.

Kyoto station

Continuing to look for outstanding things, I spent some time in Kyoto station. While hanging around a train station doesn’t really sound like fun to most people, you have to realise that Kyoto station is the biggest train station in Japan.

There is a happy place on the top of Kyoto station.

If you ever visit, be sure to take the many escalators to the Sky Garden where you can look out over Kyoto.

Stained glass windows

Spotted just a few blocks north of Kyoto station, is Yodobashi department store. It must be very new (on Google Maps street view it looks to be under construction). Along the south and west facing streets are these great colourful stained glass windows depicting various scenes from Kyoto.

There was at least 10 of these above various windows and entrances to Kyoto-Yodobashi department store.

…watch this space for photos, videos and more in upcoming posts.

Related posts:

1. Japanese cherry blossom – photos and info
2. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos
3. Pictures of Japan – Best of JTM Photos 51 to 100

I continually test these out and look for more every time I travel in Japan, which is just about every week!

Things To Do In Japan

(For free… or cheaper than usual!)

• Travel in off-peak times: Now this doesn’t mean you will be missing the good weather. Peak times in Japan are during the major national holidays and the school holidays. The best time is the first 3 weeks of March and all of April. This is spring in Japan and students are at school, the cherry blossoms are blooming and the weather is great. September and October are good times also, it is autumn in Japan and everyone is back to school and work. Mid-July and all of August are summer holidays, which means peak domestic travel and hence, high prices on just about everything. It is easily the busiest time of year and also the hottest. Read more detail about the best time of year to travel to Japan.
• JR Pass: At first glance, they may seem expensive. Last time I travelled to Japan on a tourist visa I paid almost $700 AUD for a 3 week JR Pass. Consider this example: a return trip on the shinkansen (bullet train) from Nagoya to Okayama is normally about 24,000 yen (about $300 AUD). Osaka to Tokyo is much further and more expensive. I did about 6 of these trips during a 3 week stay, so I saved about $1000 AUD and saw a lot of the country. Conditions are you must be travelling on a tourist visa and you have to purchase the JR Pass before you enter Japan. For information on getting a JR Pass in Australia, visit JTB Australia’s JR Pass page.
• Bus travel: If you can’t get a JR Pass (for visa reasons), or if you’re already in Japan without one, then bus travel is cheap in Japan, generally about 1/3 of the price of the shinkansen.
• Cheap shinkansen travel: If you can’t get a JR Pass, but you don’t want to take the bus, there are cheaper options for the shinkansen. You can buy an unreserved seat, which means a seat is not guaranteed. People tend to sit in the carriage vestibules and there is nothing wrong with that. Being a super fast train, you’re not in for a long journey! But if you travel in off-peak times, and during the day (i.e. not the morning or evening when shinkansen is used for work travel) then you’ll get a cheaper ticket AND a seat.
• Hire a bicycle: This is a great thing to do even if you have a JR Pass, so consider it not only a form of transportation but of entertainment too! My funnest day in Kyushu was when a mate and I hired a bicycle each and rode around Fukuoka. It was only 200 yen for the entire day! Some cities can be more expensive through, especially Kyoto.

Bicycle hired in Fukuoka, Japan. So very cheap and oh so much fun!

• Walk: Not only is it totally free, you get to discover some great places you would never see when travelling via faster methods. Strolling around just about any part of Japan, business districts, shopping areas, residential, if Japan is a new country for you, will show what Japan is like off the normal tourist track. You’ll constantly discover cool things to do in Japan while you’re out on a walk.
• Find the local international association or city hall: Just Google it for the city or town you are visiting. If they have a website in English then they will have a lot of information at their offices about the local area. Often there will be brochures on the local sites to see and walking routes.
• Travel with a friend: You can stay at hotels together, and save money on many meal deals
• Buy alcohol, snacks and more from a supermarket: Shop for your daily drinks and snacks at supermarkets. Definitely go to a supermarket if you want to buy alcohol. Not only is it much cheaper than convenience stores and vending machines, there is great range and it’s also a very interesting way to discover more about life in Japan. You’ll be surprised by what you find in the supermarket! In Aichi prefecture look for MEGLIA, in Kyoto look for LIFE. Usually there will also be a food shopping area around major train stations where you can get cheaper-than-convenience store prices.

Spirits in the supermarket are at least 60% cheaper than in Australia. Beer is a little bit cheaper in Japan.

• Buy toiletries and more from drug stores: Drug stores (as the Japanese call them, pharmacies or chemists as I would call them!) are easy to find in Japan. If you need to buy toiletries then head here, they are very cheap. They have many things, you can usually find drinks and snacks here too.
• Buy one water bottle and carry that with you: Now there are a few reasons behind this one for me, predominantly I feel like I am being raped and cheated every time I purchase bottled water. In spite of most Japanese people’s thinking (call it marketing conditioning perhaps), Japan has drinkable tap water from just about all their taps. If it isn’t safe to drink, there will be a sign saying don’t drink it. Buy one water bottle from a supermarket and then fill it up at free water bubblers on your travels, this will easily save you around 600 yen per day.
• For a big night out: Find an izakaya, depending on the price, you will usually find great value deals on all you can eat (tabehodai) and all you can drink (nomihodai). Not only is it a great experience and delicious, but it won’t end up being too expensive.
• Buy travel insurance: What better way to blow out your budget than having to spend thousands of dollars on medical bills? Getting travel insurance before you leave is a must!
• Stay at a capsule hotel or a hostel: Capsule hotels are really cheap and very comfortable. Hostels are available which are also very cheap. I’ve stayed at a great capsule hotel in Osaka that is really cheap. Also I just got back from Kyoto where you’ll also find a few cheap capsule hotels.
• Sleep in an internet cafe: Internet cafes in Japan are amazing. When you are in Japan you MUST visit one just to see what I mean. Anyway, you can buy cheap blocks of say 5 hours or more, enjoy free drinks and sometimes snacks, a comfortable private lounge or armchair and of course… the internet. Many Japanese people themselves will sleep in internet cafes, as the trains usually shut-down between about 12:30AM and 5AM. Here’s a great net cafe in Osaka that is close to the Shin-Osaka station.
• Visit temples, shrines and castles: I just got back from a trip to Kyoto, and saw the great Shimogamo Shrine. It is free, it is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. There are so many temples and shrines all over Japan, and most are free to walk around (but usually you can’t go inside).

A little north of the city, near a fork in the Kamo river you'll find Shimogamo Shrine.

• Finally, plan ahead: I’m not saying plan every single stay and stop on your Japan trip… that is almost the opposite of what I do when I travel, I find spontaneity and the freedom to change or choose your plans creates a better trip. But if you spend the time planning where you’d like to go, you’ll find through your research many cheap and free things to do. For example, on a trip to Kyoto I discovered you could get a free, English guided tour of Kyoto Gosho (the old Imperial residence of the emperor in Kyoto).

Take these tips and test them out for yourself! Check out the ‘Why go to Japan?‘ post for more inspiration on what you can really do on a budget!

Related posts:

1. Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go and visit
2. When to travel to Japan?
3. Japan holiday luggage packing travel checklist

If you are looking for reasons to travel to Japan, then look no further then this highly refined article from a foreigner who has holidayed in Japan and now lives in Japan. When I first started this blog, the very first post was about reasons to visit Japan. Since then, I have discovered more of its hidden culture and surprises. A revision to the original list was needed, so here is the new Why go to Japan post.

The thing I have come to find most interesting about Japan, is how the country can be so ultra-modern technologically, while juxtaposed with tradition and culture. This is the thing Japan does best of all and tops this revised list of reasons in this Why go to Japan post.

Why go to Japan? Reason #1: Japanese culture

As a tourist, it’s all about Japanese culture. From the castles, temples and shrines, the authentic restaurants and festivals, experiencing Japanese culture is the number 1 reason for coming to Japan.

Sanjuusangendou temple in Kyoto, a view from the temple gardens.

• A visit to Kyoto is a must. If you don’t go to Kyoto, and for example, only visit Osaka then do check out Osaka Castle, or whatever the major castle of the area or city is.
• Temples and shrines are everywhere and are never far off the main tourist track.
• If you travel to Japan in their spring (around April) then you must see the cherry blossoms, or go to a cherry blossom festival. If you do not travel to Japan in spring, then find out what festivals are on and go see them, you will experience great local Japanese food and culture.

This is the famous (and huge!) Osaka Castle, surrounded by moat walls and cherry blossoms. Most cities and towns have a castle.

Why go to Japan? Reason #2: Technology

Along with a rich tradition, Japan is the birthplace of many technologies, from the Toyota Prius (check out the interactive 3D experience of the new Toyota Prius Alpha, just press the CLICK HERE button when you are on the site) to the famous electronic “washlet toilet“, to perhaps the even more famous bullet train (Shinkansen, the newest E5 Hayabusa started service in March 2011, the E6 Hayabusa bullet train is about 1-2 years away).

Japan also has, on average, the fastest internet speed in the world. I guess this is because it is geographically a small country, and the penetration of fiber optic is very high.

For the traveller, everyday you will experience this technology. It could be a ride on the bullet train, it could be the fancy touch screen pad or “dumb waiter” used to order your sushi (which arrives at your table on a mini-bullet train), the automatic bath (which fills itself and keeps warm) or any other number of hidden technologies that just make travelling so convenient!

Why go to Japan? Reason #3: Food and drink

Japan’s unique cuisine is world famous, especially sushi. Some of my favourite Japanese’s foods (which are extremely difficult to find outside the country) are Okonomiyaki (often referred to as Japanese pizza), Hiyashi Chuka (a cold noodle dish that is great summer) and Miso Ramen (Japan’s version of the famous chinese noodle).

To accompany your meal, try a Chu-Hai (fruit flavoured carbonated drink) or Umeshu (fruit liquer) or one of the good nama (draft) beers such as Asahi Super Dry or Yebisu Premium Gold.

This is one of the reasons that has been identified since living in Japan. I’m pretty sure that the concept of all you can drink would be illegal in Australia. Best experienced at either an Izakaya (traditional Japanese drinking establishment, which serves food and drink) or at a Yakiniku (which means grilled beef in Japanese). Here you can have all you can eat, called tabehodai (Kanji = 食べ放題, hiragana = たべほうだい, romaji = tabehōdai) and all you can drink, called nomihodai (Kanji = 飲み放題, hiragana = のみほうだい, romaji = nomihōdai).

You might get about 3-5 small pieces of meat per serving, so make sure you keep the orders coming...

After getting a table, order some nice beef. It will be served raw at your table, and it’s over to you to do the grilling. It isn’t just limited to beef though, there is some amazing chicken, pork, seafood and vegetables.

Yakiniku - a table full of beers and food, with beef grilling in process.

In no time at all you will have a table full of delicious food and drink. Make sure you keep the orders coming, as the servings are small.

The revised list of Why go to Japan wouldn’t be complete…

…without adding that Japan needs tourism now more than ever. In my opinion, some of the mainstream media has been overly sensationalist when reporting on the nuclear disaster. However the radiation risks are limited to a 20-30km radius around Fukushima in the north of Japan. A long way south of that is Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and many of the best places to visit.

So come visit Japan, and decide for yourself the best things about this wonderful country!

Related posts:

1. Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go and visit
2. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos
3. Kyoto – things to do

Yes, it is still very safe to visit Japan…

With the recent devastation that has occurred in Japan many tourists may have been put off travelling to this wonderful nation. Whilst the country has not only had to deal with the horrific repercussions of the earthquake and tsunami, fears of rising radiation levels for nuclear power plants have also struck much of the east coast of Japan. However, there are a number of places in this technologically advanced country which remain safe for visitors to explore. And in some ways, providing much needed tourism and therefore funds to this critically injured nation could offer some support which is very much need.

Japan's flag flying outside Okayama Park, another great city to visit.

For travellers wanting to visit Japan, the best regions are those in Central and Southern Japan. Flights to Japan are relatively easy to find and tourists will still be able to access a range of travel choices. These areas have been little affected by the problems noted and can be safely travelled to without fear of radiation poisoning or negatively affecting ongoing relief and clean up efforts. There are a number of fantastic areas to visit that will give tourists the ultimate Japanese experience away from affected areas including Osaka, Kyoto and Okinawa. And with all these areas safe to visit, Japanese adventures can still be had.

For travellers wanting Japanese culture and history there is no better place than Osaka, the centre of Kansai and a city which has historical charm and modern amenities. Almost as equal to Tokyo in its foreword thinking setting, Osaka is filled with the technologically advanced features that make Japan famous. Nightlife is particularly exciting in this city, with drab alleys and streets becoming alive with tasty foods, excited locals and neon flashing signs. The Open Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses is a wonderful destination to visit, as is the Osaka Aquarium which is home to a huge whale shark.

Kyoto, full of temples and shrines.

Away from the advanced city of Osaka, Kyoto is also a wonderful metropolis to explore and offers a rich tapestry of Japanese history with 17 Unesco World Heritage sites and over 400 Shinto shrines and 1600 Buddhist temples. This city is often the one place where tourists will find the quintessential Japan, with geisha still wandering the streets, raked pebble gardens, and beautiful vermilion shrine gates. Whilst arriving in Kyoto can often lead to disappointment that all of these wonderful sights aren’t instantly on view, a careful exploration of the city will discover exciting glimpse of the areas true nature and this often leads to more of a lasting impression than if everything were laid out for tourists immediately.

For a sight of Japan which may have never been expected travelling to Okinawa will offer surprising visions of palm trees and white sandy beaches. These islands are vastly popular with tourists and locals alike and offer beach life tranquillity with hiking, water sports and beach events all easily found.

Travelling to Japan is still safe as long as visitors take time to establish just which areas have been affected by recent events and which haven’t. There are many places away from affected areas, including Okinawa, Kyoto and Osaka, which are still vibrantly carrying on life as normal. And by taking trips to these locations instead, tourists may just discover something special that that could have evaded them had other destinations been open for travel.

This article was contributed by a guest author. The contribue an article, photo or travel, please contact Dean at Japan Travel Mate.
Related posts

• Kyoto – things to do
• Osaka Nightlife
• Capsule hotel in Osaka

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1. Japan on a Budget, Tips for Cheap Travel!
2. Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go and visit
3. Why go to Japan?

Japan, famous for the cherry blossom (sakura 桜 in Japanese)

In Japanese, cherry blossom is ‘sakura’ (most commonly used kanji is 桜 which means ‘spring flower’). In Japan, sakura are not only nice to look at, they are renowned around the world and steeped in tradition within Japan. There many annual festivals. We went to a festival in April in Okayama and saw Japan’s beautiful cherry blossoms from Fukuoka to Tokyo.

Below are my photos of Japan’s cherry blossom, from all over the country.

Photo of Japanese cherry blossom (sakura) at a Kyoto temple. Me in front of the sakura and Sanjūsangendō (三十三間堂 in Japanese, which means 33 bay hall, as 33 is a sacred number in Buddhism) in Kyoto.

Cherry blossom trees surround a Japanese Edo period water garden.

More Japanese cherry blossom trees (sakura) in the temple gardens.

High resolution photo of the Japanese cherry blossom. View the close-up of the cherry blossom tree by clicking the image above to view a higher resolution photo.

To see the Japanese cherry blossom, the best time to travel to Japan is their spring in late March and throughout April. There are many festivals throughout the entire country, especially at the many temples, like the one below at Kyoto.

Japanese cherry blossom motif on the ticket for Kiyomizu temple in the mountains of Kyoto.

Looking through the cherry blossoms at a shrine in Kiyomizu?temple, Kyoto, Japan.

Looking at Okayama Castle (a 400 year old castle named 烏城 'u-jo' in Japanese) through the cherry blossoms.

Sakura, the Japanese cherry blossom.

Related post: A panorama of a Japanese cherry blossom festival at Okayama.

Related posts:

1. Japanese cherry blossom festival
2. Cherry Blossom Festival and Iyeyasu Samurai Parade in Okazaki
3. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos

I am from Australia and recently travelled to Japan for a holiday. In terms of traditions, we borrow from elsewhere, in terms of historical architecture there is nothing older than 250 years. Travelling to Japan was a chance to visit a country that is most steeped in tradition and culture of their own country – deeply proud and very generous people. It is a challenge and a massive reward holidaying here. So much so that I am now planning on returning to live.

There are so many reasons to visit Japan. Here are my top ten reasons why you should travel to Japan.

1. City, night lights and shopping.

Major shopping hub at Shibuya in Tokyo, near Shibuya 109.

The first of my top 10 reasons to visit Japan is really hard to justify on camera. But the shopping here is something very different, Shibuya 109 is a mutli-storey shopping centre just for teenage girs. And Akihabara in Tokyo is know solely for its electronics and games.

2. Festivals.

Sakura (Japanese Cherry Blossom) during the spring festival in Osaka.

Although in this list of 10 reasons to visit Japan I include only one example of a festival, Japan has many and they are very unique. From the snow and ice festivals in Sapporo in the north and more ancient/traditional festivals with priests and shrines, Japan loves the celebrations!

For more information see Wikipedia’s article on Japanese festivals.

UPDATE: New post ‘Japanese cherry blossom – photos and info‘.

3. Robots, gadgets and all things tech.

Sony AIBO, robot dogs at Roboworld in Fukuoka

Western style Japanese toilet with myriad of controls. Known in Japan as the Washlet (ウォシュレット Woshuretto)."

If you visit Japan, you will encounter one of these toilets. They really should be all over the world! Very hygienic, although it took a few times to get used to the water jets…

4. Castles, temples and shrines.

Okayama-jo, black and gold castle called 'Crow Castle' or 'U-jo'.

5. Efficient transport and the shinkansen (bullet train).

JR Central's Hikari Shinkansen.

Riding on Japan’s bullet train was actually at the top of my mates 10 reasons to visit Japan. Riding along at 300km/h or more, it feels more like air travel than rail travel.

At the opposite end of the speed scale, bicycles have right of way on the roads in Japan.

6. Japanese food and drink (especially Yebisu beer).

Yebisu beer and takoyaki (octopus in battered balls).

7. Manga and anime.

Just a small part of a multi-level book store in Okayama

8. Astro boy.

Statue of Astro Boy (named Atom in Japanese) outside Kyoto train station.

9. Architecture.

ACROS Fukuoka - the green side.

10. Origami, ancient traditions and art.

A tiny origami crane sitting on the bar of a nightclub in Fukuoka

This post marks the beginning of a series of posts, about my trip to Japan. I went to Japan for a holiday for about 1 month. Almost daily I would go to an internet cafe to find something to do – being in a non-English speaking country meant things to do were hard to find on the internet. My site ‘Japan Travel Mate’ aims to provide information on what to do and how to do it when you are in Japan.

Related posts:

1. Why go to Japan?
2. Pictures of Japan – 10 photos
3. Japan on a Budget, Tips for Cheap Travel!