Sights: Back to the Future
Ski today, shop-out tomorrow, and engage in a frenzy of festivals, anime and shrine-seeing in between. It’s all possible in Japan
Mount Fuji in all its
conical splendour,
viewed from
Fujiyoshida’s Pagoda FUJI: Mystic mountain
The official climbing season for Mount Fuji is July and August, when thousands of modern- day pilgrims make the hike up Japan’s highest peak. Many try to time their arrival at the top just before dawn so they can experience the majesty of a summit sunrise.
Climbing Fuji is not necessarily the best way to see the mountain, nor is the mount at its most photogenic during summer. On clear days Fuji can be seen from Tokyo’s skyscrapers, but more impressive views can be found a little closer in the Fuji Five Lakes region. Kawaguchi-ko is the most popular of the lakes and provides a good base for exploring the area. A visit in mid-April perhaps best shows off Fuji; snow still blankets the peak, while pink blossoms cover the cherry trees beside the lakes.
If after quietly contemplating Fuji’s conical splendour you are in need of an adrenaline boost, visit Fuji Q Highland and experience life from a whole new angle on the Eejanaika 4th Dimension rollercoaster.
Getting there: A bus from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station to Kawaguchi-ko takes two hours.
A young girl befriends
Whooper swans by pristine
Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido HOKKAIDO: Outdoor paradise
The politicians at this year’s G8 summit were too busy to experience all that Japan’s northernmost main island has to offer. It was a lost opportunity: in summer, Hokkaido is perfect for white-water rafting, hiking and cycling the region’s lush green valleys. In winter, Siberian winds bring huge dumps of powder snow, making areas such as Niseko and Furano a paradise for skiers and snowboarders. Travel to Kushiro on the east coast to goggle at the red-crested cranes; according to legend, the mere sight of these birds can bring longevity and prosperity. Hokkaido’s most eagerly awaited event is the Sapporo Snow Festival, where teams of sculptors arrive from all over the world to produce fantastical works of art as tragically transient as cherry blossoms.
Getting there: Sapporo Station is about 40 minutes by train from New Chitose Airport. In summer, hiring a car is a great idea when exploring the island; in winter, the treacherous icy roads make the train or bus a better option.
The neon lights of
Tokyo TOKYO: Urban Godzilla
The best way to experience Tokyo is to tackle it full on. Ride the sensory overload for as long as possible before retreating to somewhere that isn’t concrete or lit by neon lights. Start at Shinjuku-eki, the busiest train station in the world. Visit at rush hour then stand in awe as it pumps out millions of salarymen into the surrounding skyscrapers.
If money is no object, waltz over to Ginza where the immaculate stores are filled with immaculate women looking for immaculate handbags. Akihabara Electronic Town has a completely different clientele. Nicknamed otaku, they scour the stores looking for parts to upgrade their PC, the latest anime (animation), or plastic figures that range from pop star idoru to Godzilla. Harajuku is where the young and trendy get their clothes and accessories, but on Sunday afternoon the west end of Harajuku also becomes a magnet for youth counterculture. Check out the “cosplayers” dressed as everything from goths and manga comic characters to French maids, then pop around the corner to see Tokyo’s Grease-esque rockabilly dancers.
For a final hit of adrenaline, travel at dusk to Shibuya. Cross the world’s busiest intersection then grab a Matcha (green tea) Frappuccino at Starbucks. If you look out the second-floor window of the coffee shop you may even recognise the view: it’s where they (secretly) filmed a scene from Lost in Translation. Getting there: Reach central Tokyo via the Narita Express train from Narita International Airport.
Geishas out for a stroll
in Kyoto KYOTO & NARA: Gardens & geisha
Kyoto and Nara were both ancient capitals of Japan and today are filled with historic treasures. On the east side of Kyoto, Kiyomizu Temple clings to the hillside offering panoramic views of the city. The temple gets its name from the small waterfall 200 feet below the main buildings. The spring water is said to have healing powers and provide longevity.
Stroll through the Gion district and browse through the small stores selling traditional umbrellas, combs, kimonos and Japanese sweets. The best chance to glimpse a geisha is in the early evening when they make their way to the teahouses. Kinkaku- ji, or the Golden Pavilion, is Kyoto’s most famous landmark, surrounded by a beautiful mirror pond and landscaped gardens. Get there early to avoid the crowds. Fushimi Inari Shrine is also well worth visiting to see the tunnel of bright red torii gates that winds its way up the side of the mountain.
Nara is the heart of Japanese Buddhism. Wander through Nara Park and meet the surprisingly friendly deer, then head to Todai-ji temple. Todai-ji’s Daibutsu-den Hall is the largest wooden building in the world and houses an immense 15m-high Buddha, the largest bronze sculpture in the world. It is estimated that 130kg of gold went into its construction, almost bankrupting the country.
Getting there: Kyoto is just 15 mins. on the bullet train from Shin-Osaka Station. Nara is 33 mins. from Osaka’s Tennoji Station. Nara to Kyoto takes around 50 mins. on the JR train line and 35 mins. on the Kintetsu line.
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