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1 The Best of Japan Long ago, Japanese ranked the three best of almost every natural wonder and attraction in their country: the three best gardens, the three best scenic spots, the three best waterfalls, even the three best bridges. But choosing the “best” of anything is inherently subjective, and decades—even centuries—have passed since some of the original “three best” were so designated. Still, lists can be useful for establishing priorities. To help you get the most out of your stay, I’ve compiled this list of what I consider the best Japan has to offer based on years of traveling through the country. From the weird to the wonderful, the profound to the profane, the obvious to the obscure, these recom- mendations should fire your imagination and launch you toward discoveries of your own. 1 THE BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCES • Making a Pilgrimage to a Temple or then soaking in near-scalding waters. Shrine: From mountaintop shrines to Hot-spring spas are located almost neighborhood temples, Japan’s religious everywhere in Japan, from Kyushu to structures rank among the nation’s most Hokkaido; see the “Bathing” section popular attractions. Usually devoted to under “Minding Your P’s & Q’s” in a particular deity, they’re visited for chapter 2, and the regional chapters for specific reasons: Shopkeepers call on more information. Fushimi-Inari Shrine outside Kyoto, • Participating in a Festival: With Shin- dedicated to the goddess of rice and toism and Buddhism as its major reli- therefore prosperity, while couples gions, and temples and shrines virtually wishing for a happy marriage head to everywhere, Japan has multiple festivals Kyoto’s Jishu Shrine, a shrine to the every week. These celebrations, which deity of love. Shrines and temples are range from huge processions of wheeled also the sites for Japan’s major festivals. floats to those featuring horseback See chapter 3, the regional chapters, archery and ladder-top acrobatics, can and “The Best Temples & Shrines” sec- be lots of fun; you may want to plan tion, below, for more on Japan’s temples your trip around one (and book early and shrines. for a hotel). See the “Japan Calendar of • Taking a Communal Hot-Spring Bath: Events,” in chapter 3, for a list of some No other people on earth bathe as enthu- of the most popular festivals. siastically,COPYRIGHTED as frequently, and for such • Dining MATERIAL on Japanese Food: There’s duration as Japanese. Their many hot- more to Japanese cuisine than sushi, spring baths—thought to cure all sorts and part of what makes travel here so of ailments as well as simply make you fascinating is the variety of national and feel good—range from elegant, Zen- regional dishes. Every prefecture, it like affairs to rustic outdoor baths with seems, has its own style of noodles, its views of the countryside. No matter special vegetables, and its delicacies. If what the setup, you’ll soon warm to the money is no object, order kaiseki, a ritual of soaping up, rinsing off, and complete meal of visual and culinary 004_541296-ch01.indd4_541296-ch01.indd 1 66/25/10/25/10 88:22:22 PPMM 2 finesse. See “Eating & Drinking in Kyoto, Kanazawa, Takayama, Hako- Japan,” in chapter 2; the “Where to date, and Okinawa are among my Dine” sections in the regional chapters; favorites. See the “Shopping” sections and “The Best Culinary Experiences,” of the regional chapters for more infor- later in this chapter, for more on Japa- mation. nese food. • Attending a Kabuki Play: Based on • Viewing the Cherry Blossoms: Noth- universal themes and designed to appeal ing symbolizes the approach of spring to the masses, kabuki plays are extrava- so vividly to Japanese as the appearance ganzas of theatrical displays, costumes, of the cherry blossoms—and nothing and scenes—but mostly they’re just plain so amazes visitors as the way Japanese fun. See “Japanese Arts in a Nutshell,” in gather under the blossoms to celebrate chapter 2, and the kabuki section of the season with food, drink, and dance. “Tokyo After Dark,” in chapter 6. See the “Japan Calendar of Events,” in • Strolling Through Tokyo’s Nightlife chapter 3, for cherry blossom details. District: Every major city in Japan has • Riding the Shinkansen Bullet Train: its own nightlife district, but probably Asia’s fastest train whips you across the none is more famous, more wicked, or countryside at more than 290km (180 more varied than Tokyo’s Shinjuku, miles) an hour as you relax, see Japan’s which offers everything from hole-in- rural countryside, and dine on boxed the-wall bars to strip joints, dance 1 meals filled with local specialties. See clubs, and gay clubs. See “Tokyo After “Getting Around Japan,” in chapter 3. Dark,” in chapter 6. • Staying in a Ryokan: Japan’s legendary • Seeing Mount Fuji: It may not seem service reigns supreme in a top-class like much of an accomplishment to see ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. You’ll Japan’s most famous and tallest moun- bathe in a Japanese tub or hot-spring tain, visible from about 150km (100 bath, feast your eyes on lovely views miles) away. But, the truth is, it’s hardly past shoji screens, dine like a king in ever visible, except during the winter your tatami room, and sleep on a futon. months and rare occasions when the air See “Tips on Accommodations” in is clear. Catching your first glimpse of chapter 3 and the “Where to Stay” sec- the giant peak is truly breathtaking and tions in the regional chapters for more something you’ll never forget, whether on ryokan. you see it from aboard the Shinkansen, • Shopping in a Department Store: a Tokyo skyscraper, or a nearby national THE BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCESTRAVEL BEST THE JAPAN OF BEST THE Japan’s department stores are among the park. If you want to climb it (possible best in the world, offering everything only in July–Aug), be prepared for a from food to designer clothing to elec- group experience—400,000 people tronics to kimono and traditional crafts. climb Mount Fuji every summer. See Service also is among the best in the “Climbing Mount Fuji,” in chapter 7. world: If you arrive when the store • Spending a Few Days in Kyoto: If you opens, staff will be lined up at the front see only one city in Japan, Kyoto should door to bow as you enter. See the be it. Japan’s capital from 794 to 1868, “Shopping” sections throughout this Kyoto is one of Japan’s finest ancient book. cities, boasting some of the country’s • Visiting a Local Market: Tsukiji Fish best temples, Japanese-style inns, tradi- Market, in Tokyo, is Japan’s largest, but tional restaurants, shops, and gardens. there are local seafood and produce See chapter 9 for extensive information markets virtually everywhere. Those in on the city. 004_541296-ch01.indd4_541296-ch01.indd 2 66/25/10/25/10 88:22:22 PPMM 3 2 THE BEST TEMPLES & SHRINES • Meiji Jingu Shrine (Tokyo): Tokyo’s leading to the shrine is lined with pot- most venerable and refined Shinto tery and souvenir shops, and the temple shrine honors Emperor Meiji and his grounds have open-air pavilions, where empress with simple yet dignified archi- you can drink beer or eat noodles. tecture surrounded by a dense forest. Don’t neglect a visit to the smaller Jishu This is a great refuge in the heart of the Shrine on its grounds—it’s dedicated to city. See p. 184. the god of love. See p. 329. • Sensoji Temple (Tokyo): The capital’s • Sanjusangendo Hall (Kyoto): Japan’s oldest temple is also its liveliest. longest wooden building contains the Throngs of visitors and stalls selling spectacular sight of more than 1,000 JAPAN OF BEST THE both traditional and kitschy items lend life-size wood-carved statues, row upon it a festival-like atmosphere. This is the row of the thousand-handed Kannon of most important temple to see in Tokyo. Mercy. See p. 330. See p. 185. • Kinkakuji (Temple of the Golden • Kotokuin Temple (Kamakura): This Pavilion; Kyoto): Constructed in the temple is home to the Great Buddha, 14th century as a shogun’s retirement Japan’s second-largest bronze image, villa, this three-story pavilion shimmers which was cast in the 13th century and in gold leaf and is topped with a bronze sits outdoors against a magnificent phoenix; it’s a beautiful sight when the 1 wooded backdrop. The Buddha’s face sun shines and the sky’s blue. See SHRINES & TEMPLES BEST THE has a wonderful expression of content- p. 331. ment, serenity, and compassion. See • Todaiji Temple (Nara): Japan’s largest p. 232. bronze Buddha sits in the largest • Hase Kannon Temple (Kamakura): wooden structure in the world, making Although this temple is famous for its it the top attraction in this former capi- 9m-tall (30-ft.) Kannon of Mercy, the tal. While not as impressive as the Great largest wooden image in Japan, it’s most Buddha’s dramatic outdoor stage in memorable for its thousands of small Kamakura (see above), the sheer size of statues of Jizo, the guardian deity of Todaiji Temple and its Buddha make children, donated by parents of miscar- this a sight not to be missed if you’re in ried, stillborn, or aborted children. It’s a the Kansai area. See p. 353. rather haunting vision. See p. 234. • Horyuji Temple (Nara): Despite the • Toshogu Shrine (Nikko): Dedicated to fact that Todaiji Temple with its Great Japan’s most powerful shogun, Tokugawa Buddha (see above) gets all the glory, Ieyasu, this World Heritage Site is the true seekers of Buddhist art and history nation’s most elaborate and opulent head to the sacred grounds of Horyuji shrine, made with 2.4 million sheets of Temple with its treasures and ancient gold leaf.

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