Chris Rowthorn, Andrew Bender, Laura Crawford, Trent Holden

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Japan

Sapporo & Hokkaidō p540

Northern Honshū p474 The Japan Alps & Central Honshū Tokyo p199 p66 #_ Hiroshima & Kyoto Mt Fuji & Western Honshū ^# p276 Around Tokyo p411 p146 Shikoku Kansai p606 p336 Kyūshū p647

Okinawa & the Southwest Islands p721

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY Chris Rowthorn, Andrew Bender, Laura Crawford, Trent Holden, Craig McLachlan, Rebecca Milner, Kate Morgan, Benedict Walker, Wendy Yanagihara PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD

Welcome to Japan ...... 6 TOKYO...... 66 Yokohama ...... 184 Japan Map...... 8 Kamakura ...... 190 East of Tokyo...... 195 Japan’s Top 25 ...... 10 MT FUJI & AROUND TOKYO. . . 146 Narita ...... 195 Need to Know...... 24 Ogasawara Mt Fuji Area ...... 147 Archipelago...... 196 First Time Japan. . . . . 26 Mt Fuji ...... 147 Chichi-jima ...... 197 What’s New...... 28 Fuji Five Lakes ...... 153 Haha-jima ...... 198 If You Like…...... 29 North of Tokyo . . . . . 157 Nikkō ...... 157 Month by Month. . . . . 32 THE JAPAN ALPS & Gunma Prefecture ...... 164 Itineraries ...... 36 CENTRAL Mito ...... 167 HONSHŪ ...... 199 Skiing in Japan...... 48 West of Tokyo...... 168 Nagoya...... 201 Takao-san ...... 168 Travel with Children. . . . 53 Around Nagoya...... 211 Oku-Tama Region . . . . . 168 Eat & Drink Like a Local . 55 Tokoname ...... 212 Hakone ...... 169 Inuyama ...... 212 Japan on a Budget. . . . 60 Izu Peninsula ...... 174 Gifu ...... 215 Regions at a Glance. . . . 62 South of Tokyo. . . . . 184 TAKESHI.K / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / TAKESHI.K JASON ARNEY / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / ARNEY JASON

MT FUJI P147 WIBOWO RUSLI / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / RUSLI WIBOWO

PONTO-CHŌ, KYOTO P284 NACHI TAISHA P402 Contents

Gujō-Hachiman ...... 217 KYOTO...... 276 HIROSHIMA & Hida District...... 218 WESTERN Takayama ...... 218 KANSAI ...... 336 HONSHŪ ...... 411 Hida-Furukawa ...... 226 Hiroshima & Around . . . 414 Osaka...... 338 Shirakawa-gō & Hiroshima ...... 414 Kōbe...... 364 Gokayama ...... 227 Miyajima ...... 422 Himeji...... 370 Northern Iwakuni ...... 426 Japan Alps...... 230 Shiga Prefecture. . . . . 373 Tomo-no-ura ...... 427 Kamikōchi ...... 230 Ōtsu ...... 373 Onomichi ...... 428 Shirahone Onsen ...... 233 Ishiyama-dera...... 375 Islands on the Hirayu Onsen ...... 233 Miho Museum...... 375 Shimanami Kaidō...... 430 Fukuchi Onsen ...... 234 Hikone ...... 375 Okayama & Around . . . 431 Shin-Hotaka Onsen . . . . .234 Nagahama ...... 376 Okayama ...... 431 Nagano Nara ...... 377 Bizen ...... 436 Prefecture...... 235 Around Nara...... 387 Kibiji ...... 436 Nagano ...... 235 Temples Kurashiki ...... 438 Togakushi ...... 241 Southwest of Nara. . . . . 387 Shōdo-shima ...... 440 Karuizawa ...... 241 Around Yamato-Yagi . . . .390 Naoshima ...... 443 Obuse ...... 243 Asuka ...... 391 Kasaoka Islands ...... 446 Yudanaka ...... 244 Around Sakurai ...... 391 Yamaguchi & Around. . . 447 Shiga Kōgen ...... 244 Yoshino ...... 392 Yamaguchi ...... 447 Nozawa Onsen ...... 245 Kii Peninsula...... 393 Akiyoshi-dai ...... 450 Hakuba ...... 247 Kōya-san ...... 394 Tsuwano ...... 451 Bessho Onsen ...... 249 Tanabe ...... 400 Shimonoseki ...... 454 Matsumoto ...... 249 Shirahama ...... 400 Hagi ...... 458 Kiso Valley Kushimoto, Nakasendō ...... 254 Shiono-misaki & Matsue & Around. . . . . 462 Azumino ...... 257 Kii-Ōshima ...... 401 Matsue ...... 463 Toyama Nachi & Kii-Katsuura . . . .402 Oki Islands ...... 466 Prefecture...... 258 Shingū ...... 402 Izumo ...... 467 Toyama ...... 258 Hongū ...... 402 Iwami Ginzan ...... 468 Ishikawa Yunomine, Yunotsu ...... 469 Prefecture...... 260 Watarase & Tottori & Around. . . . . 470 Kanazawa ...... 260 Kawa-yu Onsen...... 403 Tottori ...... 470 Noto Peninsula ...... 269 Ise...... 404 Daisen ...... 472 Kaga Onsen ...... 273 Northern Kansai ...... 407 San-in Coast Hakusan National Park ...... 473 National Park ...... 274 Moroyose ...... 407 Fukui Prefecture. . . . . 274 Takeno ...... 407 NORTHERN Fukui ...... 274 Kinosaki ...... 408 Tango Peninsula ...... 409 HONSHŪ Eihei-ji ...... 274 (TŌHOKU)...... 474. Tōjinbō ...... 275 Amanohashidate . . . . . 410 Maizuru ...... 410 Fukushima Tsuruga ...... 275 Prefecture...... 477 ON THE ROAD FRANK CARTER / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / CARTER FRANK © IMAGES GETTY / DEIM FRANK

DAIGO-JI, KYOTO P304 IMPERIAL PALACE, TOKYO P69

Aizu-Wakamatsu . . . . . 477 Niigata Prefecture. . . . 528 Abashiri ...... 590 Bandai Plateau ...... 480 Niigata ...... 529 Shari ...... 593 Miyagi Prefecture. . . . . 482 Sado-ga-shima ...... 530 Shiretoko National Park . . 593. Sendai ...... 483 Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen . . . .536 Akan National Park . . . . . 597 Matsushima ...... 489 Naeba ...... 537 Kushiro Wetlands Ishinomaki ...... 491 Myōkō Kōgen ...... 538 National Park ...... 602 Naruko Onsen ...... 492 Kushiro...... 602 Iwate Prefecture . . . . . 493 SAPPORO & Tokachi...... 603 Hiraizumi ...... 494 HOKKAIDŌ ...... 540 Obihiro ...... 604 Ikeda ...... 604 Tōno ...... 496 Sapporo...... 546 Erimo-misaki ...... 604 Morioka ...... 500 Southern Hokkaidō . . . 557 Poroshiri-dake ...... 605 Aomori Prefecture. . . . 502 Hakodate ...... 557 Aomori ...... 502 Ōnuma Quasi-National Hakkōda-san ...... 505 Park ...... 561 SHIKOKU...... 606 Towada-ko ...... 506 Central Hokkaidō. . . . 562 Tokushima Prefecture. . 607. Shimokita Peninsula . . . .508 Otaru ...... 562 Tokushima ...... 607 Hirosaki ...... 509 Niseko ...... 564 Iya Valley ...... 616 Akita Prefecture. . . . . 512 Shikotsu-Tōya Tsurugi-san ...... 621 National Park ...... 568 Tazawa-ko ...... 512 Southern Tokushima Tomakomai...... 573 Nyūtō Onsen ...... 515 Prefecture...... 621 Kakunodate ...... 516 Northern Hokkaidō . . . 573 Hiwasa ...... 621 Asahikawa ...... 573 Akita ...... 518 South to Muroto-misaki. . . 622 Furano ...... 575 Yamagata Prefecture. . . 520 Kōchi Prefecture. . . . . 623 Daisetsuzan Tsuruoka ...... 520 Tokushima to Kōchi. . . . .623 National Park ...... 578 Dewa Sanzan ...... 522 Kōchi ...... 624 Wakkanai ...... 583 Yamagata ...... 524 Kōchi to Ashizuri-misaki .628 Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu Nakamura ...... 628 Yamadera ...... 526 National Park ...... 585 Ashizuri Cape ...... 628 Zaō Onsen ...... 527 Eastern Hokkaidō. . . . . 590 Contents

UNDERSTAND

Ehime Prefecture. . . . . 629 Kirishima-Yaku Japan Today...... 762 National Park ...... 700 Uwajima ...... 629 History...... 764 Matsuyama ...... 634 Satsuma Peninsula . . . . 701 The People of Japan . . . .781 Ishizuchi-san ...... 640 Miyazaki Prefecture. . . 704 Kagawa Prefecture. . . .640 Miyazaki ...... 704 Japanese Cuisine. . . . 786 Matsuyama to Takamatsu. . .640 Aoshima & Kaeda . . . . .708 Arts & Architecture. . . 800 Udo-jingū ...... 709 Takamatsu ...... 643 Traditional Japanese Around Takamatsu. . . . .646 Obi ...... 709 Accommodation...... 812 Nichinan-kaigan & Cape Toi ...... 710 Onsen...... 815 KYŪSHŪ...... 647 Saitobaru ...... 710 Living Art Fukuoka Prefecture. . . . 650 Takachiho ...... 710 of the Geisha...... 818. Fukuoka...... 650 Ōita Prefecture. . . . . 712 Environment...... 820 Dazaifu ...... 660 Beppu ...... 712 Saga Prefecture. . . . . 662 Yufuin ...... 718 Karatsu ...... 662 Usuki ...... 719 SURVIVAL Imari ...... 664 Kunisaki Peninsula . . . . . 720 GUIDE Arita ...... 664 Nagasaki Prefecture . . . 665 OKINAWA & THE Directory A–Z...... 826 Nagasaki ...... 665 SOUTHWEST Transport...... 840 Hirado ...... 677 ISLANDS...... 721 Language...... 852 Shimabara Peninsula. . . 679 Kagoshima Prefecture . .724 Unzen ...... 679 Ōsumi Islands ...... 724 Index...... 862 Shimabara ...... 680 Amami Islands ...... 731 Map Legend...... 878 Kumamoto Prefecture. . . 682 Okinawa Prefecture. . . 736 Kumamoto ...... 682 Okinawa-hontō ...... 737 Aso-san Area ...... 687 Islands Near Kurokawa Onsen . . . . . 691 Okinawa-hontō...... 744 Kagoshima Prefecture. . .691 Miyako Islands ...... 747 Kagoshima ...... 692 Yaeyama Islands ...... 750

SPECIAL FEATURES

JEFFREY FRIEDL © FRIEDL JEFFREY Komokuten © FRIEDL JEFFREY Standing to the left of the Daibutsu is Komokuten Tōdai-ji (Lord of Limitless Vision), who serves as a guardian of the Buddha. He stands upon a demon The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) at Nara’s (jaki), which symbolises ignorance, and wields a Off the Beaten Track. . . 46 Restaurant Types & brush and scroll, which symbolises wisdom. Tōdai-ji is one of the most arresting sights in Japan. The awe-inspiring physical presence of the vast image is striking. It’s one of the largest bronze Buddha images in the world and it’s contained in an Buddhas Around Dainichi equally huge building, the Daibutsu-den Sixteen smaller Buddhas are arranged in a halo Sample Menus ...... 787 around the Daibutsu’s head, each of which sym- Hall, which is among the largest wooden Kokuzo Bosatsu bolises one of the Daibutsu’s diﬀ erent manifesta- buildings on earth. Seated to the left of the Daibutsu is tions. They are graduated in size to appear the Tōdai-ji was built by order of Emperor Kokuzo Bosatsu, the bodhisattva same size when viewed from the ground. of memory and wisdom, to whom Shōmu during the Nara period (710–784) students pray for help in their Skiing in Japan Map . . . 50 and the complex was  nally completed studies and the faithful pray in 798, after the capital had been moved for help on the path to enlightenment. from Nara to Kyoto. Most historians agree that the temple was built to consolidate the country and serve as its spiritual focus. Legend has it that over two million Sake...... 796 labourers worked on the temple, but this is probably apocryphal. What’s certain is that its construction brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy. 3D Tokyo National The original Daibutsu was cast in bronze in eight castings over a period Tamonten of three years. The Daibutsu, or certain To the right of the parts of it, has been recast several times Daibutsu stands over the centuries. The original Daibutsu Tamonten (Lord Who Hears All), another of was covered in gold leaf and one can only the Buddha’s guard- Museum Illustration . . . 94 Onsen Etiquette...... 817 imagine its impact on Japanese visitors ians. He holds a during the eighth century AD. pagoda, which is said to represent a divine The temple belongs to the Kegon school storehouse of wisdom. of Buddhism, one of the six schools of Buddhism popular in Japan during the Nara period. Kegon Buddhism, which comes from the Chinese Huayan Buddhist sect, is based on the Flower Garland Sutra. This sutra expresses the idea of worlds within worlds, all manifested by the Cosmic Buddha JEFFREY FRIEDL © FRIEDL JEFFREY 3D Tōdai-ji Honshū Blossom & (Vairocana or Dainichi Nyorai). The Great Buddha and the  gures that surround him in the Daibutsu-den Hall are the perfect The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) Known in Sanskrit as 'Vairocana' and in Japanese as the physical symbol of this cosmological map. 'Daibutsu', this is the Cosmic Buddha that gives rise to all other Buddhas, according to Kegon doctrine. The Buddha’s hands send the messages 'fear not' and 'welcome'. FACT FILE Illustration ...... 382 Foliage Seasons...... 821 Hole in Pillar The Daibutsu Behind the Daibutsu you will  nd a pillar with a 50cm hole through its base (the size of one of the » Height: 14.98m Daibutsu’s nostrils). It’s said that if you can crawl through this, you are assured of enlightenment. » Weight: 500 tonnes » Nostril width: 50cm The Daibutsu-den Hall JEFFREY FRIEDL © FRIEDL JEFFREY Nyoirin Kannon © FRIEDL JEFFREY » Height: 48.74m Seated to the right of the Daibutsu is Nyoirin Kannon, one of the esoteric forms of Kannon » Length: 57m Bodhisattva. This is one of the bodhisattva that » Number of roof tiles: 112,589 preside over the six diﬀ erent realms of karmic rebirth. On the Road

Sapporo & Hokkaidō p540

Northern Honshū p474 The Japan Alps & Central Honshū Tokyo p199 p66 #_ Hiroshima & Kyoto Mt Fuji & Western Honshū ^# p276 Around Tokyo p411 p146 Shikoku Kansai p606 p336 Kyūshū p647

Okinawa & the Southwest Islands p721

Craig McLachlan Sapporo & Hokkaidō Craig has walked the length of Japan (3200km in 99 days!), climbed Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, hiked the 88 Temples of Shikoku, cycled the 33 Temples of Saigoku, and walked from the Sea of Japan to the Pacific scaling all of Japan’s 3000m peaks! Books on these adventures have been published in English and Japanese. A ‘freelance anything’, Craig has an MBA from the University of Hawaii and is also a pilot, hiking guide, karate instructor and Japanese inter- preter. See www.craigmclachlan.com. Craig also wrote the Skiing in Japan chapter of this guide.

Rebecca Milner Tokyo; Northern Honshū (Tōhoku) Rebecca moved to Tokyo from California in 2002 for ‘one year’ that turned into 10. She’s since lived west of Shinjuku, east of the Sumida-gawa and now calls Meguro home. Even when not on assignment, you can find her cycling around the city in search of new cafes or tracking down obscure onsen in the countryside. She also writes a dining column for the Japan Times and has written about travel in Japan for the Guardian and CNN Travel.

Kate Morgan Mt Fuji & Around Tokyo Kate’s first encounter with Japan was back in 2005 when she moved to Osaka to teach English to kindergarten kids. Since returning to Australia, she manages to find her way back to her ‘second home’ every couple of years to eat tako-yaki, soak in onsen and watch punk bands in basement live houses. Kate lives in Melbourne, Australia, as a freelance writer and editor and has worked on other Lonely Planet books such as Phuket and Southern Africa.

Benedict Walker The Japan Alps & Central Honshū Inspired by a primary school teacher, or the memory of a past life, Ben’s love of Japan blossomed early. At 17 he was runner- up in the Australian finals of the Japan Foundation Japanese Speech Contest, and had made two solo trips to Japan. In 1998, with a degree in communications under his belt, Ben hit the road in earnest. After long stints in Canada and Europe, he found himself teaching English in Osaka until his tattered Lonely Planet guide led him to the mountains of Matsumoto, where he found work as a translator and lived like a local. Dividing his time between Canada, Australia and Japan, Ben has also been known to manage the travel for rockstars and dabble in the arts. For the latest, check out: www.wordsandjourneys.com.

Wendy Yanagihara Shikoku; Okinawa & the Southwestern Islands As the daughter of an Issei (first- generation Japanese-American) in California, Wendy grew up summering in Ja- pan with her mother. It wasn’t until this book, however, that she had the pleasure of exploring the 88-temple pilgrimage, the diversity of Ryukyuan dialects and an affinity forjiimami-dōfu . Previously, she has worked on several editions of the Japan, Tokyo and Tokyo Encounter guidebooks for Lonely Planet. AOUR beat-up oldSTORY car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’. OUR WRITERS Chris Rowthorn Coordinating Author; Kyoto; Kansai Born in England and raised in the USA, Chris has lived in Kyoto since 1992. Soon after his arrival in Kyoto, Chris started studying the Japanese language and culture. In 1995 he became a regional cor- respondent for the Japan Times. He joined Lonely Planet in 1996 and has worked on guides to Kyoto, Tokyo, Japan and hiking in Japan. When not on the road, he spends his time seeking out Kyoto’s best restaurants, temples, hiking trails and gardens. Chris wrote a book in Japanese with professional guide Koko Ijuin, called Pro ga Oshieru: Genba no Eigo Tsuyaku Gaido Skiru (Pro English Guide Skills), for Japanese guides who want to explain the country to Western tourists. Chris also conducts walking tours of Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo. For more on Chris, check out his website at www.chrisrowthorn.com.

Andrew Bender Kyūshū France was closed, so after college Andy left his native New England for Japan. It was a life-changing journey, as visits to Japan often are. He’s since mastered chopsticks, the language, karaoke and shoe etiquette. Now based in Los Angeles, Andy writes about Japan for the Los Angeles Times, in-flight maga- zines and about a dozen Lonely Planet titles, as well as the Seat 1A travel blog for Forbes. He also does cross-cultural consulting for Japanese businesses and escorts visitors around Japan. Check out his website: www.wheres-andy-now.com.

Laura Crawford Osaka; Hiroshima & Western Honshū English born and Australian raised, Laura first arrived in Japan as an undergraduate studying Japanese at a university in Kansai. She later travelled up and down the country, set up home in Osaka for two years, returned to Oz to write a thesis on Japanese English, and eventually landed a job as an editor in Lonely Planet’s Melbourne office. Her favourite on-the-road task: touring the Kuniga coast and seeing incredibly old trees on the Oki Islands.

Trent Holden Mt Fuji & Around Tokyo After several trips to Japan, Trent jumped at the opportunity to head back to discover its coastal beaches and conquer Fuji. A champion of budget travel, he’s a connoisseur of combini store bentō and vending-machine booze, and a lover of Japanese punk and okonomiyaki. Trent has co-authored more than a dozen books for Lonely Planet including guides to India, Nepal and the Philippines.

OVER MORE PAGE WRITERS Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN 36 005 607 983 Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason- 13th edition – Sep 2013 able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about ISBN 978 1 74220 414 7 the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi- © Lonely Planet 2013 Photographs © as indicated 2013 mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in China All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip. FRANK DEIM / GETTY IMAGES © - O KY TO

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WEEK

Itineraries Plan Your Trip Your Plan Station area). In any of these places, you you places, these of any In area). Station connections, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Shibuya, Shinjuku, as such connections, (Tokyo Marunouchi or Roppongi Ginza, To make the most of your stay in in stay your of most the make To inter that’s area an in yourself base tryto transport by served well also and esting great natural and traditional wonders. and traditional natural great Japan. And you don’t have to travel far far travel to have don’t And you Japan. Japan’s of some see to the city outside best restaurants, shops and nightlife, nightlife, and shops restaurants, best Tokyo With air connections to most of the of most to air connections With the world’s of as some as well world, 36 37 PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN I IE ARIES TINER

View over Tokyo from the Sky Deck (p77)

Omote-sandō. From there, head to Shibuya escape the crowds of the capital. Finally, to soak up some of modern Tokyo. Make it would be a shame to come all the way sure you spend an evening wandering to Japan and not see Mt Fuji. You can get east Shinjuku, where you’ll get the full to the base of the mountain and back in experience of Tokyo’s neon madness. Other a day from Tokyo, but climbing it will in- urban areas to check out include Ginza, for volve spending the night on the mountain. high-end shopping; Akihabara, for elec- Either way, we recommend checking the tronics and geek culture; and Roppongi, weather first – the mountain is socked in for international nightlife. by clouds much of the year, so try to wait Break up your time in Tokyo with day for a break in the weather to make the trip. trips to nearby attractions. The temples and shrines at Nikkō are among the most spectacular in Japan. For a taste of old Japan, a day poking among the Zen temples at Kamakura is a brilliant way to 38

10 Tokyo, the Japan Alps DAYS & Kyoto

PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN The Tokyo–Japan Alps–Kyoto route is the classic Japan itinerary and the best way to get a quick taste of the country. You’ll experience three faces of Japan: the modern wonders of Tokyo, the traditional culture of Kyoto and the natural beauty of the Japan Alps. I IE ARIES TINER While you can do this itinerary in any season, keep in mind that the Japan Alps can be snow covered any time from early November to late March – this rules out hiking unless you’re an experienced winter mountaineer – but you can visit the attractive cities of Takayama and Kanazawa any time of year. Let’s assume that you’ll fly into Tokyo, where you can spend a few days experiencing the best that the capital has to offer. Don’t worry about skipping some of the traditional sights in that itinerary, because you’ll be heading to Kyoto, and you’ll get your fill of shrines and temples there. From Tokyo, take the shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya, then an express to Takaya- ma. Spend a day here checking out the restored Sanmachi-suji, then head into the Japan Alps via Kamikōchi or nearby Shin-Hotaka Onsen. Return to Takayama and rent a car so you can visit the thatched-roof villages of Noto Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama. From there, Peninsula if you feel like some more alpine scenery, drive northeast and head back into the Japan Alps Tateyama-Kurobe Northern Japan Alps via the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Alpine Route (the route is open from late spring to early

•# É Shin-Hotaka Onsen

Kanazawa •# •# autumn). Next, travel to Kanazawa (some É É •#Kamikōchi •# rental agencies will allow you to drop the car

•# Gokayama É in Kanazawa). Otherwise, you can also go from Shirakawa- É É

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É Nagamachi district. Mt Fuji (3776m) From Kanazawa, there are several daily

R É É express trains that will get you to in a É Kyoto little over two hours. In Kyoto, take some time

•# Nagoya to visit the sights, then jump on the shinkansen É Kyoto •# Izu and get yourself back to Tokyo in time for your

Peninsula flight home. É Ō-shima 39 MIXA / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / MIXA 10 Tokyo, the Japan Alps DAYS & Kyoto

The Tokyo–Japan Alps–Kyoto route is the TRIP YOUR PLAN classic Japan itinerary and the best way to get a quick taste of the country. You’ll experience three faces of Japan: the modern wonders of Tokyo, the traditional culture of Kyoto and the natural beauty of the Japan Alps. I IE ARIES TINER While you can do this itinerary in any season, keep in mind that the Japan Alps can be snow covered any time from early November to late March – this rules out hiking unless you’re an experienced winter mountaineer – but you can visit the attractive cities of Takayama and Kanazawa any time of year. Let’s assume that you’ll fly into Tokyo, where you can spend a few days experiencing the best that the capital has to offer. Don’t worry about skipping some of the traditional sights in that itinerary, because you’ll be heading to Kyoto, and you’ll get your fill of shrines and temples there. From Tokyo, take the shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya, then an express to Takaya- ma. Spend a day here checking out the restored Sanmachi-suji, then head into the Japan Alps via Kamikōchi or nearby Shin-Hotaka Onsen. Return to Takayama and rent a car

FRANK CARTER / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / CARTER FRANK so you can visit the thatched-roof villages of Noto Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama. From there, Peninsula if you feel like some more alpine scenery, drive northeast and head back into the Japan Alps Tateyama-Kurobe Northern Japan Alps via the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Alpine Route (the route is open from late spring to early

•# É Shin-Hotaka Onsen

Kanazawa •# •# autumn). Next, travel to Kanazawa (some É É •#Kamikōchi •# rental agencies will allow you to drop the car

•# Gokayama É in Kanazawa). Otherwise, you can also go from Shirakawa- É É

É Nagamachi district. Mt Fuji (3776m) From Kanazawa, there are several daily

R É É express trains that will get you to in a É Kyoto little over two hours. In Kyoto, take some time

•# Nagoya to visit the sights, then jump on the shinkansen É Kyoto •# Izu and get yourself back to Tokyo in time for your

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is the obvious place to stay: it’s roughly roughly it’s stay: to place obvious the is

If you want to see a modern Japanese me Japanese modern a see to want you If For those with a spiritual bent, a trip to the the to trip a bent, spiritual a with those For makes around bouncing this all if Finally, Kyoto also makes a good base for explor for base good a makes also Kyoto

2 WEEKS figure. Hiroshima, Miyajima and Naoshima. Miyajima Hiroshima, Rail Pass, you can easily head west to see see to west head easily can you Pass, Rail groves bamboo the through strolling day other day a for train a on hop Arashiyama.Then, of to trip including a fan of traditional culture. And with a Japan Japan And with a culture. traditional of a fan Airport, which KansaiInternational by Served world, the partsof many to connections has Kyoto range wide a got it’s Kansaiand of middle the in the mention to not accommodation, excellent of shrines. and gardens temples, finest nation’s area Higashiyama the exploring day a Spend an by followed northern), and southern (both appealing place to stay, especially if you’re if you’re especially stay, to place appealing the ancient capital of Kyoto, is an equally Kyoto, of capital the ancient themselves there, Kansai, which is home to which is home to Kansai, there, themselves While many people fly into Tokyo and base and base Tokyo into people fly While many highly recommended. Spend the night on one of of one on night the Spend recommended. highly return before there lodgings temple many the will travellers adventurous More Kyoto. to ing pilgrim ancient Japan’s out check to want also the route, age hot best Japan’s of some in cares your away soak springs. visited as a day trip from Kyoto if you use the the use you if Kyoto from trip day a as visited shinkansen night the spend to relaxing more it’s However, nearby in Itsukushima- of gate) shrine (Shintō torii’ ing for stopping consider also might Art lovers jinja. at two or night a mountaintop Buddhist retreat of of retreat Buddhist mountaintop anwith adventure your off finish tired, you to up trip overnight tropolis in high gear, then then gear, high in tropolis easily can You Kyoto. from train by minutes 30 drink a and dinner some grab city, the explore stop trains the before Kyoto to back it make and running. Sea. Inland the in artmuseum Kansai. ing some of the important sights in Western Western in sights important the of some ing you’ve if especially Sea, Inland the and Honshū RailPass. Japan a got

Itineraries

PLAN YOUR TRIP 40 41

2 WEEKS Kansai & Points West

While many people fly into Tokyo and base TRIP YOUR PLAN themselves there, Kansai, which is home to the ancient capital of Kyoto, is an equally appealing place to stay, especially if you’re a fan of traditional culture. And with a Japan Rail Pass, you can easily head west to see Hiroshima, Miyajima and Naoshima. I IE ARIES TINER Served by Kansai International Airport, which has connections to many parts of the world, Kyoto is the obvious place to stay: it’s roughly in the middle of Kansai and it’s got a wide range of excellent accommodation, not to mention the nation’s finest temples, gardens and shrines. Spend a day exploring the Higashiyama area (both southern and northern), followed by another day strolling through the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Then, hop on a train for a day trip to Nara to see the sights of Nara-kōen, including Tōdai-ji, with its enormous Buddha figure. If you want to see a modern Japanese me- tropolis in high gear, then Osaka is only about 30 minutes by train from Kyoto. You can easily explore the city, grab some dinner and a drink and make it back to Kyoto before the trains stop running. For those with a spiritual bent, a trip to the mountaintop Buddhist retreat of Kōya-san is highly recommended. Spend the night on one of the many temple lodgings there before returning to Kyoto. More adventurous travellers will also want to check out Japan’s ancient pilgrim- Kinosaki •# age route, the Kumano Kodō, in southern Kansai.

Kyoto also makes a good base for exploring some of the important sights in Western É Honshū and the Inland Sea, especially if you’ve Honshū Kyoto •#

got a Japan Rail Pass. Hiroshima can be É visited as a day trip from Kyoto if you use the É É Osaka shinkansen (bullet train) and get an early start. •# É

É •#

However, it’s more relaxing to spend the night É Nara

É É •# É in nearby Miyajima, home of the iconic ‘float- Hiroshima É Naoshima ing torii’ (Shintō shrine gate) of Itsukushima- •# jinja. Art lovers might also consider stopping for •# Miyajima Kōya-san •# a night or two at Naoshima, the island-turned- É art museum in the Inland Sea.

Finally, if all this bouncing around makes É you tired, finish off your adventure with an Shikoku Kumano Kodō •# overnight trip up to Kinosaki, where you can soak away your cares in some of Japan’s best hot springs. 42

3 The Wilds of Hokkaidō WEEKS & Tōhoku

PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN If you want to step off the main Tokyo–Kyoto tourist trail, head to Hokkaidō, Japan’s northernmost major island, and Northern Honshū, the northern tip of Japan’s main island. In summer these areas are usually relatively cool, while in winter you can expect cold and snowy weather. I IE ARIES TINER Whether you’re on a Japan Rail Pass or fly- ing directly, Sapporo makes a good hub for Hokkaidō excursions. If you’re here in February, your prize for enduring the arctic cold is a front- row seat at the Sapporo Snow Festival, high- lighted by life-size carvings of everything from European cityscapes to elaborate ice mazes. On a day trip from Sapporo, see romantic Otaru, with its Victorian brick warehouses and fresh sushi spreads. If you have more time, a couple of nights in Hakodate will recall the era of European colonisation. On the way back to Sapporo, hot-springs fans can take a dip in the waters of Noboribetsu Onsen. Head out again, making a brief stop in Asa- hikawa for a few rounds of Otokoyama sake, before pressing on to Wakkanai. From here, take the ferry to Rishiri-tō and Rebun-tō in search of annual wildflower blooms. On the return, see Sōya-misaki, Hokkaidō’s northernmost point, •# Sōya-misaki from which you might catch a glance of Russia’s Rebun-tō •# •# SE AO F •# Wakkanai OK HOTS K Sakhalin Island on a clear day. RUSSIA Rishiri-tō É Travel back to Asahikawa to plan your next Shiretoko move. Make your way to , É National Park Asahidake Onsen RUSSIA Hokkaidō Shari ÷# and hike Daisetsuzan National Park. Get É •# Asahikawa •# É •#Asahidake Onsen behind the wheel of a rental car and explore the É •#Biei •# ÷# lavender fields and gourmet attractions around Otaru•#

•# Furano Daisetsuzan and . If you really want to leave É Furano Biei National Park Sapporo it all behind, head east to Shari, the jumping- É É

É •# Noboribetsu off point for Shiretoko National Park. Don’t

Onsen forget your bear bells; humans aren’t the only É •# Hakodate creatures that call this remote peninsula home. If you haven’t yet had your fill of natural won- É ders, take the train south through the Seikan Tunnel (the world’s longest underwater tunnel) SE AO F Towada-ko •# JA PA N to Northern Honshū. Visit Towada-ko, a crater lake that’s home to the Nyūtō Onsen. Then con- PA CIFI C Tazawa-ko •# OC EA N tinue south to lovely Tazawa-ko, Japan’s deep-

est lake. If you’re a hiker, you’ll want to make the É Honshū famed pilgrimage across the three sacred peaks of . Finally, if you really want to Dewa Sanzan •# Dewa Sanzan

get off the beaten track, take the ferry to Sado- Sado-ga-shima •# É ga-shima and rent a car to explore this beguil- ing island (home of the Kodo Drummers). 43 PEERAPAT TANDAVANITJ / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES PEERAPAT TANDAVANITJGETTY /

3 The Wilds of Hokkaidō WEEKS & Tōhoku

If you want to step off the main Tokyo–Kyoto TRIP YOUR PLAN tourist trail, head to Hokkaidō, Japan’s northernmost major island, and Northern Honshū, the northern tip of Japan’s main island. In summer these areas are usually relatively cool, while in winter you can expect cold and snowy weather. I IE ARIES TINER Whether you’re on a Japan Rail Pass or fly- ing directly, Sapporo makes a good hub for Hokkaidō excursions. If you’re here in February, your prize for enduring the arctic cold is a front- row seat at the Sapporo Snow Festival, high- lighted by life-size carvings of everything from European cityscapes to elaborate ice mazes. On a day trip from Sapporo, see romantic Otaru, with its Victorian brick warehouses and fresh sushi spreads. If you have more time, a couple of nights in Hakodate will recall the era of European colonisation. On the way back to Sapporo, hot-springs fans can take a dip in the waters of Noboribetsu Onsen. Head out again, making a brief stop in Asa- hikawa for a few rounds of Otokoyama sake, before pressing on to Wakkanai. From here, take the ferry to Rishiri-tō and Rebun-tō in search of annual wildflower blooms. On the return, see Sōya-misaki, Hokkaidō’s northernmost point,

•# Sōya-misaki © IMAGES GETTY / MORITA TOSHITAKA from which you might catch a glance of Russia’s Rebun-tō •# •# SE AO F •# Wakkanai OK HOTS K Sakhalin Island on a clear day. RUSSIA Rishiri-tō É Travel back to Asahikawa to plan your next Shiretoko move. Make your way to , É National Park Asahidake Onsen RUSSIA Hokkaidō Shari ÷# and hike Daisetsuzan National Park. Get É •# Asahikawa •# É •#Asahidake Onsen behind the wheel of a rental car and explore the É •#Biei •# ÷# lavender fields and gourmet attractions around Otaru•#

•# Furano Daisetsuzan and . If you really want to leave É Furano Biei National Park Sapporo it all behind, head east to Shari, the jumping- É É

É •# Noboribetsu off point for Shiretoko National Park. Don’t

est lake. If you’re a hiker, you’ll want to make the É Honshū famed pilgrimage across the three sacred peaks of . Finally, if you really want to Dewa Sanzan •# Dewa Sanzan

Top: Otaru (p562) get off the beaten track, take the ferry to Sado- Sado-ga-shima •# É Bottom: View of Rishiri-zan from Rebun-tō (p588) ga-shima and rent a car to explore this beguil- ing island (home of the Kodo Drummers). 44 ANTONY GIBLIN / GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES GETTY / GIBLIN ANTONY

2 WEEKS Kyūshū & Shikoku

PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN Relatively few tourists make the journey southwest to the islands of Shikoku and Kyūshū, which is a shame, since these two islands are home to some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, welcoming people and great food. They’re also good options for escaping the bitter cold of winter, I

IE ARIES TINER particularly southern Kyūshū.

While there are some international flights to Fukuoka in Kyūshū, it’s likely that you’ll ap- proach this area from Kansai or Tokyo. Take a shinkansen to the city of Okayama in Western Honshū. Here, catch a special Nampū express train across the Inland Sea right down into the mountainous heart of Shikoku and spend a night or two in one of the Chiiori Trust’s thatched-roof cottages in Iya Valley (note that it’s also possible to drive here and this gives you more freedom to explore the area). From here, you can head south to do some surfing at Ohkihama, or head west to climb Ishizuchi- san. Finally, take a dip in the wonderful Dōgo Onsen in the castle town of Matsuyama. From Matsuyama you can recross the Inland Sea and join the Sanyō Shinkansen line that will take you southwest to the island of Kyūshū (consider a stop at Hiroshima en route). Your

first stop in Kyūshū should be Fukuoka, © IMAGES GETTY / VISUALS XTREME HILL SHAYNE Kyūshū’s largest city, which is crammed with SOUTHKOREA Honshū

spirited dining and nightlife in the lanes of É

Tenjin and Daimyō. From here, you can head É Ishizuchi-

•# Iya Valley southeast to the hot spring resort of Beppu, or san É Matsuyama •# R southwest to Nagasaki. While Nagasaki is best Shikoku

known to Westerners for its tragic history, most Fukuoka •# É

visitors are surprised to find a vibrant city with É É •# Beppu É

great food and lots of opportunities to learn É É É R about Japan’s early contacts with the West. Aso-san •# Ohkihama From either Beppu or Nagasaki, head south, Nagasaki •#

possibly stopping en route at the semiactive É Kyūshū volcano of Aso-san, which offers superb hiking, then make your way to , a city with Kagoshima PA CIFI C a laid-back almost tropical vibe which contrasts OCEA N sharply with the rest of Japan. Sengan-en Kagoshima •# garden and Sakurajima volcano are must-sees before going south for a sand bath in the seaside Ibusuki •# town of Ibusuki. Finally, if you have time and enjoy hiking, f# take a ferry south from Kagoshima to the island É of Yakushima for some hiking and onsens Top: Rotemburo (outdoor bath), Iya Valley (p616) •# Yakushima before making your way north and homeward. Bottom: Takachiho-kyō (p711) 45

2 WEEKS Kyūshū & Shikoku

Relatively few tourists make the journey TRIP YOUR PLAN southwest to the islands of Shikoku and Kyūshū, which is a shame, since these two islands are home to some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, welcoming people and great food. They’re also good options for escaping the bitter cold of winter, I

particularly southern Kyūshū. ARIES TINER

Tenjin and Daimyō. From here, you can head É Ishizuchi-

•# Iya Valley southeast to the hot spring resort of Beppu, or san É Matsuyama •# R southwest to Nagasaki. While Nagasaki is best Shikoku known to Westerners for its tragic history, most Fukuoka •# É

visitors are surprised to find a vibrant city with É É •# Beppu É

great food and lots of opportunities to learn É É É R about Japan’s early contacts with the West. Aso-san •# Ohkihama From either Beppu or Nagasaki, head south, Nagasaki •#

possibly stopping en route at the semiactive É Kyūshū volcano of Aso-san, which offers superb hiking, then make your way to , a city with Kagoshima PA CIFI C a laid-back almost tropical vibe which contrasts OCEA N sharply with the rest of Japan. Sengan-en Kagoshima •# garden and Sakurajima volcano are must-sees before going south for a sand bath in the seaside Ibusuki •# town of Ibusuki. Finally, if you have time and enjoy hiking, f# take a ferry south from Kagoshima to the island É of Yakushima for some hiking and onsens •# Yakushima before making your way north and homeward. 46 Off the Beaten Track: Japan

Shànghăi Kyūshū •# 0 400 km •# 0 200 miles Amakusa •# Islands •# Kagoshima PLAN YOUR TRIP TRIP YOUR PLAN CHINA Hā'ěrbīn Jixi YONAGUNI-JIMA•# •# Pǔtuóshān •# Hēilóngjiāng •# Tanegashima Yakushima OnNí reallyngbō clear days you can see Mǔdānjiāng Taiwan from Yonaguni-jima,CHINA Japan’s •# Tokara westernmostChángchūn inhabited island. Divers Islands come here•# to swim•# Jíwithlín hammerhead •# Jìngpò Hú

I sharks and explore the mysterious •#Amami IE ARIES TINER •# Sìpíng ‘Atlantis of the Pacific’ ruins. (p759) Amami •# Liáoyán Island•# Vladivostos k Yánjí •# East China PACIFI C Sea OCEA N Okinawa City •#Nago •# Tōnghuà Naha •# Okinawa-hontō •# TAIPEI #_ YONAGUNI- IRIOMOTE-JIMA Hirara JIMA Yaeyama •# Fringed by healthy coral reefs and TAIWAN •# Islands •# •# Miyako covered with dense tropical jungle, Ishigaki Islands IRIOMOTE- the island of Iriomote-jima is one of Dāndōng JIMA Japan’s wildest places. (p756)

KUMANO#_ PY ONKODŌGYANG OKI ISLANDS Trek through theNORT mountainsH of Once a place of exile, these cliff-lined southern KansaiKORE to reachA three of the islands offer some spectacular country’s most sacred Shintō shrines scenery and a real feeling of getting on this ancient pilgrimageSOUT route.H away from it all. Very few foreigners (p398) SEOUL #_ KOREA ever make it here. (p466)

IYA VALLEY A few hours and a world away from the big cities of Kansai, Iya Valley has OKI Fukui •# been called the ‘Shangri La of Japan’. ISLANDS Stay in a restored thatched-roof Matsue Tottori •# •# farmhouse and get a taste of Izumo •# Kyoto traditional village life. (p616) •# •# Himeji Hamada •# Osaka Okayama•# •# •# •# Tsu-shima Kōbe Hagi •# •# Nara Hiroshima Tokushima •# Shimonoseki •# •# Wakayama Matsuyama•# •# Kōchi Fukuoka •# IYA KUMANO Shikoku •# Aso-san Oita •# VALLEY KODŌ (1592m) •# Usuki R Nagasaki •# •# Kumamoto Kyūshū See Inset •# Miyazaki •# Kagoshima

Yakushima 47

0 500 km e# 0 250 miles

RUSSIA

Sea of TRIP YOUR PLAN Okhotsk RUSSIA RISHIRI-TŌ & REBUN-TŌ SHIRETOKO NATIONAL PARK Abashiri #÷ Daisetsuzan •# National Park Akan •# #÷ National Takikawa •# #÷ I Biei Park ARIES TINER Hokkaidō Otaru •# •# Kushiro •# Sapporo •# Obihiro #÷ Shikotsu-tōya SHIRETOKO National Park NATIONAL PARK With no sealed roads and a healthy Okushiri-tō •# Hakodate population of brown bears, Shiretoko earns the title of Japan’s last true wilderness. The reward for tackling •# Aomori the tough trails here are long soaks in Towada- •# Hachinohe plentiful hot springs. (p593) Hachimantai #÷ National Park

Akita •# Morioka Sea of •# •# RISHIRI-TŌ & REBUN-TŌ Japan Kakunodate •# Oshu Almost as far north as you can go in Sakata •# Japan, these two islands burst into •# Tsuruoka •# Shinjō riotous blooms of wildflowers each

•# •# Sendai year from May to August. They’re a SADO-GA- Yamagata true delight for hikers and •# SHIMA •# photographers. (p585) Niigata Fukushima Noto Peninsula Nikkō SADO-GA-SHIMA Toyama Nagano •# •# •# Utsunomiya •# •# A wild outpost of rugged mountains •# •# Mito Kanazawa Maebashi and coastline, each August this island Honshū Urawa •# TOKYO rocks to the sound of the famous #_ Gifu Kōfu •# •# Chiba Kodo Drummers during the fabulous •# R •# Yokohama Earth Celebration. (p530) •# Nagoya Mt Fuji •# (3776m) •#Tsu Shizuoka •# Ise OGASAWARA ARCHIPELAGO PACIFI C This is as far off the beaten track as OCEA N you can get in Japan. A full 25½-hour ferry ride from Tokyo, these semitropical islands – complete with whales, sharks and dolphins – feel like a different world. (p196)

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