Three Winter Weeks in Japan

This three week trip visits some of the main attractions in southern and central Honshu in Japan, travelling by Shinkansen which makes some of the long distances between cities fairly effortless. The trip would be equally (or even more spectacular but much busier in spring or autumn), although the Northern Alps and Snow Monkey Park are at their picturesque best in winter.

How to get around

Although the JR Pass increased significantly in price in late 2023, it makes travel cost-effective for an itinerary that involves multiple rail journeys (and covers all JR trains excluding the super-express Nozomi Shinkansen trains). You can reserve seats online or at a JR office at no cost, or take your pick from an unreserved carriage, which is often a better option. For almost all of our route there was a bus or train at least every hour, and often every 10-15 minutes. And the average delay time is less than a minute, and 12 seconds for the Tokaido Shinkansen in 2019. It was only in the mountainous area of Takayama where booking a rental car (which requires an international drivers licence) would have been advantageous.

The Itinerary

• Tokyo (Asukusa) – 2 nights
• Hakone – 2 nights
• Hiroshima – 3 nights
• Kyoto – 4 nights
• Takayama – 2 nights (with a day trip to Shirakawa-go and Shinhotaka Ropeway)
• Snow Monkey Park – 2 nights via Nagano
• Tokyo (Shibuya and Shinjuku) – 4 nights

Asakusa (Tokyo) – 2 nights

Travel: 1 hour from Narita airport (JR trains)
Key Attractions: Cultural landmarks (Sensoji Temple and its imposing Kaminarimon Gate) and activities (hundreds of specialist ateliers, workshops and shops devoted to Japanese crafts)
Accommodation: Asakusa Kaede 浅草楓 is located minutes away from the Kaminarimon Gate and in a perfect location for exploring the area.

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Sensoji Temple

A historic neighborhood in Tokyo, Asukusa is one of the city’s Shitamachi, or traditional, low-rise districts and is known for its blend of traditional and modern cultures. It’s a very easy stroll distance-wise from our hotel down Nakamise-dori, the most famous shopping street in Asakusa - but during the day it gets very busy! Nakamise-dori is about 250m in length, leading from the Kaminarimon Gate (“Thunder Gate”)…

…to the Hōzōmon Gate (“Treasure House Gate”) of Sensoji temple. The Hōzōmon was first built in 942 AD by Taira no Kinmasa, rebuilt by Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1636 after being destroyed by fire in 1631 and then burnt down during the Tokyo air raids of 1945. The current steel-reinforced concrete gate was built in 1964.

Beyond the gate is the Sensō-ji temple – also known as Asakusa Kannon – a Buddhist temple which is one of the most widely visited religious sites in the world with over 30 million visitors a year. The first temple was founded in 645 AD, which also makes it the oldest temple in Tokyo.

Within the temple are o-mikuji (“sacred lot”) stalls, where random fortunes written on strips of paper and received by making a small offering or donation, picking a labelled sticks from one of the enclosed metal containers and then selecting the corresponding fortune from one of 100 drawers.

Adjacent to the temple is a five-story pagoda, the Asakusa Shinto shrine,

If you want to avoid the crowds, head to the tori gate and temple in the early morning – before 8am – when its easier to get photos.

Alternatively, an evening visit is another good time to get some good photos with a lot less people around.

Tokyo Skytree

After the morning’s Asukasa temple visit, we head to the nearby Tokyo Skytree, which became the tallest tower in the world in 2011 with a full height of 634 metres, and the third tallest structure in the world (after the Merdeka 118 and the Burj Khalifa). Its name was chosen by a nationwide vote in 2007.

Two observation decks offer a spectacular view over Tokyo, from heights of 350 and 450 meters respectively, making them the highest observation decks in Japan. There are great views in every direction, giving you a sense of the size of Tokyo which houses over 14 million residents in the most densely populated prefecture in Japan.

The most iconic view is Mount Fuji to the west.

Akihabara

Our first day in Japan concludes with a mostly window-shopping walk down the main street in Akihabara, called Akiba after a former local shrine but now famous for its many electronics shops and as the centre of Japan’s otaku (diehard fan) culture. (If you’re into anime, manga, retro video games, figurines, card games or maid cafes where waitresses dress up and act like maids this is also the place to go…)

Hakone – 2 nights

Travel: About 2:30min from Asakusa to Hakone Checkpoint (JR Shinkansen & local bus)
Key Attractions: One of the most popular and spectacular places to admine Mount Fuji, with boats and pirate ships that cross the picturesque Ashi Lake, providing access to the Ropeway that goes up and over the sulfuric Owakudani Valley.
Accommodation: Hakone Hotel overlooks Lake Ashi, with spacious and comfortable balcony roooms – most with great lake views – and an easy stroll to the boats which cross the lake and provide access to the ropeway.

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Much of the second day in Japan is spent making our way to Lake Ashi in Hakone (after a last early-morning trip to photograph Sensoji temple), with our destination being Hotel Hakone which is on the edge of the lake. There’s enough time before it gets dark for a quick hike up the nearest peak…

The clear evening provides some outstanding views of Mount Fuji from the balcony of our hotel room.

Lake Ashi and Mount Hakone

Unfortunately we wake up to a very overcast day and no Mount Fuji views, as we set out on the classic Hakone Round Course: the 2-3 day Hakone Freepass provides unlimited rides on all the modes of transportation. We start with the slightly tacky but obligatory pirate ship which traverses the lake on a regular basis.

The boat docks at Togendai station, where we transfer to the Hakone Ropeway. The cable car whisks you up over a stark volcanic landscape to the Owakudani station, where you need to transfer gondolas.

It’s worth alighting here for views (and smells!) of the active, sulfuric hot springs of the Owakudani Valley: or the Valley of Hell. You can purchase the famous black eggs here, which are boiled in the sulfurous waters which give the egg shells their distinctive colour. Depending on the level of volcanic activity, you can do a self-guided tour that passes some of the sulfuric hot springs – or you may need to book a guided tour.

The ropeway continues to Sōunzan Station, where the Tozan Railway continues onto bus services at Gora Station that enable you to do a loop.

The rest of the family returns the same way, while I do a hike that starts near the Sōunzan ropeway terminus.

From the end of my hike, the bus takes me to Motohakone on the lake. It’s a short walk along the wide path that passes the Third Torii of Hakone Shrine and follows the lake to the popular Hakone Shrine.

Hakone’s most famous Shinto shrine, the Hakone Shrine at the foot of Mount Hakone is reached by a long flight of stone steps.

Even more popular than the shrine itself is the red tori gate that stands in Lake Ashi; if you want to get a photo of yourself under the gate you’ll need to get into the “selfie queue” and wait your turn.

A walking trail follows the shore of Lake Ashi back to Motohakone, offering some more views of the distinctive tori gate.

From Motohakone, I continue along Lake Ashi back towards to the Hakone Hotel – it’s a very nice and peaceful stroll with almost no-one around.

The route passes the Onshi-Hakone Park, which was an imperial villa and garden built in 1886 and used as a secondary residence for the Imperial Household, before being gifted to the public in 1946 as a prefectural park. The gardens above Lake Ashi are beautiful, even though the low cloud means there is still no view of the majestic Mt Fuji.

We’re leaving the following morning as we head to Hiroshima, and with a clear day forecast we make one last stop along our bus route at Mishima Skywalk. Japan’s longest pedestrian suspension bridge with a total length of 400m, the Mishima Skywalk provides a great vantage point from which to see Mt Fuji. (There’s also a zip line here, and a cafe and restaurant.)

Hiroshima – 3 nights

Travel: The longest day in terms of travel, with a local bus to Odawara and then two Shinkansen bullet trains to Hiroshima via Osaka and Kyoto
Key Attractions: Within the city is the Shukkei-en Garden, Peace Memorial Park & Atomic Bomb Dome, Mitaki-Dera Temple and Hiroshima Castle. A short trip takes you to the picturesque Itsukushima Shrine/Mijayima Island, Okunoshima Island and Sandankyo Gorge (closed in winter from December to March).
Accommodation: The Knot Hiroshima has modern rooms (many with great views) and rooftop bar, and is only a few minutes walk to Peace Park and city bus stops.

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Most ouf day is taken up travelling, first by a local bus via Mishima Skywalk to get to Odawara where we take the Shinkansen south.

Hiroshima Peace Park

It’s a short walk from our hotel to Hiroshima Peace Park, a huge park of over 120,000 square metres which was the the political and commercial heart of the city before Hiroshima was bombed in WWII. We approach via the Peace Bridge over the Honkawa River, which was designed by American sculptor Isamu Noguchi to evoke a sunrise (the future), while the West Peace Bridge is designed to evoke a sunset (the past). 

Within the Peace Park is the poignant Peace Memorial Museum, which documents the history of Hiroshima and the advent of the nuclear bomb and the impact it wrought on the people of Hiroshima.

Perhaps and sadly the most iconic symbol of Hiroshima is the UNESCO-listed A-Bomb Dome, also known as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, which is what remains of the former Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. It was one of the few buildings to remain standing after the atomic bomb was dropped 6 August 1945 and has been preserved in the same state as immediately after the bombing: “a stark and powerful symbol of the most destructive force ever created by humankind; it also expresses the hope for world peace and the ultimate elimination of all nuclear weapons”.

Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima Castle is approached from the south through the Main Gate, which also contains a small museum. There’s also a unique eucalyptus tree which survived the A-bomb and subsequent storms since 1945; it inspired Nakazawa Kenji’s book Under the Eucalyptus tree.

Hiroshima Castle was originally constructed in wood between 1592 and 1599, with wings to the east and to the south, and was designated a National Treasure in 1931. Only the main tower (tenshu) was reconstructed in 1958, and the many floors of the castle landmark serve as a museum retracing the history of the city and the famed castle.

The top floor offers a panoramic view of Hiroshima.

Shukkei-en Garden

Our walk through Hiroshima finishes at the Shukkei-en Garden, built in 1620 by the first feudal lord of the Hiroshima domain, Nagaakira Asano, as a garden for his villa. A walking path connects the shaped trees and koï fish ponds (you can buy food to feed the fish).

Hiroshima is known for its unique method of cooking okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake where the ingredients (typically cabbage, bean sprout, noodles, sliced pork belly, and a fried egg) are layered rather than mixed in with the batter. Okonomimura, or “okonomi village” in the downtown area of Hiroshima has 24 different counter-style okonomiyaki restaurants over three floors, where you can see the okonomiyaki being made in front of you. Our walk to the restaurant passes through streets lined with Christmas lights.

Itsukushima Shrine/Mijayima Island

On our second day in Hiroshima, we head out to Miyajama Island – you can get there via a direct ferry from the Peace Park (but check the Aqua Ferry timetable, as the times are subject to tide times) or via a JR train to Miyajimaguchi Station and then a short JR ferry ride to the island. Both routes take about an hour. We take the train and ferry out to the island, which offers a great view of the iconic torii gate at Itsukushima Shrine.

The island is known for this bright red torii gate: the shrine is named after the island itself (Itsukushima), but the island is better known as “Miyajima” which literally translates to “shrine island”. At high tide the gate sits in the water, while at low tide you can walk to the base of the gate.

Itsukushima Shrine was built around 593 AD and underwent a number of changes over the centuries, before being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. 

Miyajima is home to over a thousand friendly and tame Sika deer, which according to local folklore were considered sacred messengers from the gods. Takemikazuchi, a Shinto deity, is said to have traveled from Nara riding on a white deer. As a result, the deer of Nara and Miyajima were given a special status by the local authorities around 768 and until 1637 killing a deer was punishable by death.

A ropeway takes you most of the way up to the top of Mount Misen, which has been considered sacred since at least the 9th century. There are also three hiking routes to the peak – and a network of hiking trails that you’d need a full day to explore.

With my mountain hike taking up most of the afternoon, I get back to the Miyajima pier just before sunset: the tori gate is now sitting in the water.

For the return trip to Hiroshima, I take the direct ferry back to Peace Park.

Kurashiki

Located about halfway beween Hiroshima and Kyoto (the next place where we’re staying), Kurashiki is not well known outside of Japan. It’s regarded as the Venice of Japan, with canals and boutique shops housed in traditional white-walled warehouses that date back to the Edo period (1603-1867) when the town was an important rice distribution centre.

We’ve booked a Kurashiki Half-Day Private Tour to help us explore the area: our guide Yoshiko Sato-san is super knowledgeable and enthustiastic, and provides interesting history and information on the area.

Our first stop is the Ohashi House in the Bikan Historical Quarter; the Ohashi family were a wealthy merchant family who developed new rice fields during the Edo period, and built this house in 1796. The house has a front gate and an open area, an architectural style exclusive to samurai residences – indicating the status of the Ohashi family.

We stroll through the small Shinkei-en Garden, which is near the Ohashi House.

In the centre of the Bikan Historical Quarter are narrow lanes with shops in renovated traditional wooden townhouses; the main one is Honmachi-dori which was the beginning of the east-west route used to export rice. The picturesque canal, which was once part of a system that enabled boats and barges carrying rice to navigate between the city’s storehouses and the nearby port.

A short but steep flight of steps up from the shopping street is the Achi Shrine, a Shinto shrine that was founded in the 4th century AD during the reign of Emperor Ojin. It has a number of large granite boulders (known as “Iwakura”) and a wisteria tree (“Akebono-fuji”), which is estimated to be between 300 and 500 years old and the largest of its kind in Japan.

Punting boat rides on the Kuashiki River (canal) leave every half an hour, and provide a different perspective of the Bikan Historical Quarter. The traditional sugegasa (conical straw hat) is mandatory!

Our last stop is Ivy Square, which was the site of the first modern cotton mill in Japan, and nearby is Denim Street, the birthplace of the domestic jeans industry where a wide variety of denim and denim-related shops can be found. Kurashiki began as a cotton-farming area, but as the dyeing, weaving and sewing industries prospered the city became an an internationally recognised manufacturer of high-quality denim.

Kyoto – 4 nights

Travel: About 1:30min on a direct Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Tokyo – although we stop at Kurashiki on the way
Key Attractions: There are almost as many temples as vending machines in Kyoto, including the spectacular Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kinkakuji, Daigoji Temple and Ryoanji to mention a few. Natural attractions include Arashiyama’s famous bamboo grooves and a myriad of hiking trails on the mountains which surround Kyoto. The city is also known for kaiseki dining (multiple courses of precise dishes) and geisha (female entertainers).
Accommodation: Rinn Gion Hanatouro is in the renowned Geisha district of Gion, with modern Japanese-style rooms and easy walking access to restaurants and local attractions.

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I could easily spend a week in Kyoto… there is lot to see in the city, which was Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868 and is one of the country’s ten largest cities. While Kyoto was destroyed by many wars and fires over the centuriues, due to its exceptional historic value the city was dropped from the list of target cities for the atomic bomb and escaped destruction during World War II. To see as much as we can on our first day in Kyoto, we’ve booked a private tour (a driver and guide) to explore many of the city’s most scenic attractions. Our guide, Omar Mohsen, joins us and helps navigate efficiently through the often-busy tourist sites.

Fushimi Inari Shrine (always open)

Fushimi Inari Shrine in southern Kyoto is the most important of several thousands of shrines dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. At the entrance to the shrine is the Romon Gate, donated in 1589 by the famous leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and behind the gate is the shrine’s main hall.

The main shrine building contains five shrines: a lower shrine, a middle shrine, an upper shrine and auxiliary shrines Tanaka Shrine and Shino-Okami Shrine: they are named after the great virtues of Inari that they embody.

As foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, there are many statues of foxes around the temple grounds.

What makes Fushimi Inari Taisha so popular are the thousands of vermilion torii gates that line the trail up to the peak of the mountain. The rows of torii gates are known as Senbon Torii, which translates literally to “1,000 Tori Gates” – but there are over 32,000 gates and sub-gates along the trail. Each is paid for by a donor whose name is inscribed on the gate – the cost is anything between ¥400,000 and ¥1,000,000, depending on its size.

The seemingly never-ending gates are an incredible sight – but you’ll have to deal with a never-ending queue of people for most of the day. Plan to be there in the early morning to avoid the crowds, and to make the hike to the top of the sacred Mount Inari a lot more enjoyable!

Arashiyama or “Storm Mountain” (always open)

Even more busy than the Fushimi Inari Shrine is the Arashiyama bamboo grove – it’s one of the most photographed sights in the city. A path weaves through the towering bamboo forest.

It’s a popular spot for yukata-clad young women who come to the nearby Nonomiya Shrine to pray for a love match, and if you don’t want to walk rickshaw drivers can convey you through the forest.

The adjacent Okochi Sanso Garden is a lot less busy, and while it’s most spectacular in autumn for the fall colours and spring for the blossoms, it’s still very picturesque in winter. A steep but short set of stairs goes up a deck with a great view of the Hozugawa River and the Arashiyama mountains – and of the small boats doing the 2-hour Hozugawa River Cruise, which go from Kameoka to Arashiyama using traditional style, flat-bottomed boats piloted by boatmen with oars and bamboo poles.

The path goes down to the river, where the Hozugawa River Cruise boats finish their journey, and many row-boats are on the water, at Rankyo Gorge.

A gently stroll along the river finishes at the Togetsukyo Bridge (which means “Moon Crossing Bridge”), originally built during the Heian Period (794-1185) and most recently reconstructed in the 1930s. The road which crosses the bridge is lined with restaurants, and we have lunch here before resuming out sight-seeing.

Before leaving Arashimaya we pass through the Kimono Forest, a collection of cylinder-shaped pillars that frame the path to the Randen tram station (on Kyoto’s s Keifuku Arashiyama line) – a kimono is displayed on each of the pillars.

Ryoanji Temple (open 8/8:30am – 4:30/5pm)

We now head to some of the temples on the northern side of Kyoto: Ryoanji was an aristocrat’s villa during the Heian Period, before being converted into a Zen temple in 1450. It’s also the site of Japan’s most famous rock garden: a rectangular plot of pebbles surrounded by low earthen walls, with 15 rocks that are arranged in small groups on patches of moss. The rock garden has been designed so that from any vantage point at least one of the rocks is always hidden.

Ryoanji also has an extensive garden with a large pond, which dates back to when the temple served as an aristocrat’s villa. You can easily spend an hour here, and although we’re here in the middle of the day it’s not too busy.

Kinkakuji (open 9am-5pm)

Kinkakuji (or the Golden Pavilion) is a Zen temple, whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. It was originally the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, and its style reflects the extravagant Kitayama culture of the wealthy aristocratic circles of Kyoto in the 1300s, with each floor having a different architectural style. After Yoshimitsu’s death in 1408, it became a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect. The temple pavilion was burned down in 1950 by a 22-year-old novice monk (Hayashi Yoken) who said that his hatred of all beauty had driven him to destroy the six-century-old building. Kinkakuji was then rebuilt in 1955, and was recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.

The temple overlooks a large pond, and a path takes you around the pond providing multiple perspectives of the luminescent building.

Kiyomizudera (open 6:00am to 6/6:30pm)

Translating literally to “Pure Water Temple”), Kiyomizudera on the eastern side of Kyoto gets its name from being built in AD780 on the site of the Otowa Waterfall. The approach to Kiyomizudera is through the Higashiyama District, one of Kyoto’s best preserved historic districts. The busy street is lined with shops selling local specialties (pottery, sweets and pickles) and souvenirs.

It’s hard to avoid the crowds, as the temple isn’t open 24×7 (just after 6am would be the least busy time), with the temple grounds accessed via a large torii gate. The Kiyomizudera temple is one of the most important and significant Buddhist temples ever built in Kyoto; it was founded by Enchin, an influential Buddhist monk in Kyoto and is dedicated exclusively to the worship of the Buddhist god Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy). Rebuilt over ten times as a result of being destroyed by fire, Kiyomizudera was registered on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List as one of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto in 1944.

The Otowa Waterfall, located at the base of Kiyomizudera’s main hall, funnels the water into three separate stream:. Each stream’s water is said to have a different benefit to those who drink the water: longevity, success at school and a fortunate love life. (Drinking from all three streams is considered greedy!)

Elevated above Kyoto, there’s a great view from the temple over the city.

An even better view is from a wooden stage that juts out from the main hall (which houses the temple’s primary object of worship, a small statue of the eleven faced, thousand armed Kannon) and is a short walk along the hillside. It’s a great spot to catch the sunset over the distant mountains.

It’s a great end to a busy but productive day: you could visit all these places in one day with Japan’s efficient public transport, but having a car makes it a lot easier and more efficient.

More Kyoto Temples (Day 2)

I get up early on our second day in Kyoto: keen to re-visit some of the previous days attractions without the crowds, I set out for Fushimi Inari from our hotel at 6:30am, arriving around 7am.

Yasaka Shrine (always open)

I spend a few hours in the afternoon wandering though eastern Kyoto. My first stop is the Yasaka Shrine (also known as Gion Shrine) which is one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. It was founded over 1350 years ago when the priest Enjo invited Gozu Tenno, the god of illness prevention, to the shrine in an effort to stop the epidemics and other disasters that were afflicting Kyoto residents.

The shrine’s main hall combines the honden (inner sanctuary) and haiden (offering hall) into a single building, and in front is a dance stage with hundreds of lanterns which get lit in the evening. There is a frequent ringing of brass bells, to wake up the gods.

Maruyama Park area (always open)

From Yasaka Shrine I wander through Maruyama Park – it gets very busy in the cherry blossom viewing season, but it’s still a nice walk up the wide boulevarde. Near the top is Choraku-ji (a small Buddhist temple) and Otani Sobyo Temple (a temple and mausolem). The mausoleum is the final resting place of Shinran Shonin, a Japanese Buddhist monk recognised as the founder of the Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land School).

I continue onto the Higashi Otani Cemetery, one of the largest Buddhist graveyards in Kyoto. A sombre place, the sprawling cemetery on the side of the hill offers the deceased a commanding view over Kyoto. (You’d get an even better view from the Higashiyama Mount Peak Park Observatory, which is above the cemetery.)

I continue my walk past more torii gates and temples…

Kodaiji Temple (open 9am-5pm)

…my next stop being the Kodaiji Temple, a Zen Buddhist temple established in 1606 in memory of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (who rose from a peasant background to become one of the most powerful men in Japanese history). It’s one of my favourite temples, like a combined mini-version of Ryoanji and the Arashimaya Bamboo Grove, but without the crowds. A rock garden, consisting of a large field of raked gravel, represents the vast ocean.

There’s a bamboo grove, which is said to be even better than Arashiyama (it’s not, but I still liked this more for the lack of crowds).

The gentle walk takes you past impressive tsukiyama-style garden features a pond, man-made hills, decorative rocks and beautiful pine and maple trees.

Entokuin Temple (open 10am-5pm)

A tatchu, or sub-temple of Kodaiji Temple, is Entokuin Temple which was built by Kitano Mandokoro (wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi) to mourn for her husband’s death in 1605. It has two beautiful Zen gardens: the North Garden was made by a famous garden designer, Kobori Ensyu, about 400 years ago and has been designated a National Scenic Spot.

The south garden is a Japanese dry landscape garden, with lines drawn in white sand to express the shape of the sea.

Kyoto Tower

Having been thoroughly (but enjoyably) templed-out, my son joins me for a visit to Kyoto Tower, which is the tallest structure in Kyoto with an observation deck at 100 metres and a total height of 131 metres. It was completed in 1964, the same year as the opening of the shinkansen and the Tokyo Olympics.

While not the most exciting view as far as towers go, it’s interesting to see the various temples we’ve just visited: Kiyomizu-dera with with its red pagopda at the foot of Mount Otowa, Ryozen Kannon Temple with its Big Buddha and Higashi Otani Cemetery behind it, and Shōseien Garden, a bright patch of green in the middle of the city.

You can also see how Kyoto is surrounded by mountains on three sides.

A tour of Kyoto’s famous Gion district

Our day concludes with a tour of Kyoto’s Gion district and kaiseki dinner (a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner), where we meet a maiko, an apprentice geisha. There are only 1,000 geisha left in Japan, most of whom live and work predominantly in Tokyo and Kyoto. Our passionate tour guide, Ken, explains why geishas are called geiko in Kyoto (which translates directly to ‘woman of art’) and we learn a lot about the history and culture of the geiko culture as we walk around the Gion area.

• Statue of Izumo-no-Okuni – the origins of kabuki, when it could only be performed by women
• Minamiza – the oldest Kabuki theater in Kyoto
• Shirakawa – the largest Geisha district called “Gion”, and what it means to be a maiko or geiko
• Hanamikoji Street – the main street of Gion and Kyoto’s most famous geisha district
• Kennin-ji Temple – Zen Buddhist temple built in 1202 and history of Zen Buddhism in Japan
• Kyoto Ebisu Shrine – residenve of Ebisu, the god of wealth in Shinto.

It’s a long but satisfying day – I highly recommend the geisha tour to get “insider access” to Gion and explore the city with a local.

The next day is our last day in Kyoto, so I head off into the hills to explore some of the many hiking trails…

Takayama – 2 nights

Travel: About 3:30min by Shinkansen and JR train from Kyoto to Takayama
Key Attractions: The well-preserved old town of Hida-Takayama, and day-trips to the UNESCO-listed Shirakawa-go village (famous for their traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses), Shinhotaka Ropeway, Okuhida (hot springs) and the Kamikochi mountain resort (closed Nov-March)
Accommodation: Hotel Wood Takayama is a few minutes walk to the centre of the town and countless restaurants, with comfortable Japanese-style bedding.

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From Kyoto we head up into the mountains, our first stop being the town of Hida-Takayama in the Gifu Prefecture and “one of Japan’s nicest old towns”. We arrive early afternoon, with enough time to explore the Old Town.

Old Town

While a well-preserved and picturesque town, I was a little underwhelmed by Takayama… a few hours strolling around the historic lanes was enough for me.

Dining was the highlight of our brief stay: Takayama is in the Hida region and known for its Hida beef with “rich marbling, blushing pink meat, mellow fragrance and dynamic flavour”. Beef sushi is sold in many street stalls, and shabu shabu is found in most restaurants (thinly sliced beef served in a pot with vegetables and cooked in boiling water).

Shirakawa-go

Takayama offers the potential for a few different half-day or full-day trips, so in the morning we all head off to the mountain village of Shirakawa-go. It’s serviced by regular buses and tours – but Takayama is the only place in Japann where I’d recommend hiring a car, as the buses are all packed and you can see a lot more out-of-the way places with a car. It’s a scenic bus ride (or drive) up to Shirakawa-go which takes just under an hour (you could also stop here if you’re continuing onto Kanazawa).

The town of Shirakawa-go is famous for it’s traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, which means “constructed like hands in prayer” as the steep thatched roofs resemble the hands of Buddhist monks pressed together in prayer. Many houses are over 250 years old, and the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.

Although we have all day, a couple of hours is enough to walk around the town, and up to the Ogimachi Castle Observation Deck – which is a fancy name for a lookout over the town.

Shinhotaka Ropeway

No-one is too keen for an afternoon excursion, so after we get back to Takayama by lunchtime, I hop back on a bus (which leaves every hour) for the scenic 1:45min trip to the Shinhotaka Ropeway. It’s another full bus, which services a number of ryokans and ski resorts as it makes it way up into the mountains. If you had a full day, you could also stop along the way to visit the Hida Great Limestone Cave and Hirayu Grand Waterfall. The last stop is the Shinhotaka Ropeway, the most popular tourist destination in the Oku-Hida area. The first half of the ropeway takes you from Shinhotaka Onsen Station (1,117m) up to the transit point of Nabedaira Kōgen Station (1,305m).

A short walk then takes you to the second ropeway, which is Japan’s only two-story gondola that goes up to Nishihotakaguchi Station at an altitude of 2,156m above sea level.

There are some expansive views from the snow-covered observation deck over the Northern Alps, including Mt Nishihotakadake (2,909m), Mt Yarigatake (3,180m), and Mt Kasagatake (2,898m).

The observation deck also provides a good view of the double-decker gondola, which leaves every half an hour.

Nishihotakaguchi Station shares the mountain ridge with Sengoku Park, a small forested area. A hiking trail goes to Nishiho-sanso, a mountain hut which is the only one in the North Alps open year-round (reservations essential) and then onto Mt Karasawa (3,110m) via Mt Okuhotaka and Mt Nishihotakadake – and it continues for another 80km as it traverses the North Alps.

There’s some more nice views on the journey down the two ropeways – both gondolas are packed full, so you need to pick which side has the best view and stake your spot!

I get back to Takayama after dark, with our journey across Japan continuing the next morning as we head north to the Snow Monkey Park in the Nagano area. There are a few options for getting there, and we’re taking the scenic route across the alps. This is one of the only travel segments where a car would be faster than our combination of bus and train.

Snow Monkey Park – 2 nights

Travel: About 5:45min total travel time by local bus from Takayama to Matsumoto, then Shinkansen to Nagano before another local bus to the Snow Monkey Park bus stop.
Key Attractions: This is the closest hotel to the Snow Monkey Park, and a short bus trip takes you to mountain hiking trails and ski resorts.
Accommodation: Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku is our favourite hotel, with super-comfortable futons (some rooms have Western-style beds), a balcony with mountain views, both private and public onsens and kaiseki (multi-course) dinners included. Some rooms have a private onsen.

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From Takayama we catch an early-ish bus that initially re-traces my trip from the previous day, as it follows the winding Route 158 across the North Alps. It’s worth getting into the bus queue early (tickets can’t be pre-booked) to secure a window seat, for this scenic journey.

On the other side of the mountain range is Asuza Lake, which was formed in 1969 when the Nagawado Dam across the Azusa River was completed, a pumped-storage hydroelectricity project.

Matsumoto Castle

Between our bus arriving and our shinkansen train, we have time for a quick visit to Matsumoto Castle, Japan’s oldest extant castle, and regarded as the most complete and beautiful among Japan’s original castles.

It is a “hirajiro” – a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain and – and is unique for having both a secondary donjon and a turret adjoined to its main keep. It’s photogenic even in winter, and would be spectacular in autumn with its hundreds of somei yoshino cherry trees along the moat.

Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Monkey Park)

Our hotel (Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku) is the closest to the Snow Monkey Park, which means we can get to the entrance right as it opens at 9am, and beat the worst of the crowds. The park gets 200,000 visitors annually, with numbers spiking at the end of the year and early January. The snow monkey viewing area is reached via a 1.6km trail through the forest, which is fairly easy walking (but can get a bit muddy or icy dependig on the time of year).

The trail ends just above the Jigokudani Valley (“Hell Valley”), where volcanic steam vents into the air above the Yokoyu River. Just above the river is Korakukan Jigokudani, a small ryokan which is much closer than our hotel – but it’s fairly basic and requires a 2km walk from the nearest road with luggage).

A set of stairs takes you to the Visitor Centre where the entry fee is paid, and then into the viewing area. The park was created in 1964 as a conservation area for the Japanese macaques to have a refuge within their natural habitat, and as the monkeys observed humans in the nearby guesthouse enjoying the hot spring, they started copying this behaviour. They are the only troop of monkeys in the world known to enjoy bathing in natural hot springs, with their fame going global when a photograph of them appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine in 1970.

There are an estimated 150 to 160 macaques in the troop that frequent the Snow Monkey Park. They live in a fairly natural state and while they are fed by park staff two to three times a day (barley seed or soybeans with apples), it’s not enough food for them to survive on. As well as keeping warm in their onsen, you can watch them playing in the river and around the walkways of the park. Allow an hour… at least… you could easily spend half a day observing their antics.

Our early start (the gates open at 9am) means we’re back at our hotel by lunchtime, allowing plenty of time for me to check out one of the nearby hiking trails in the afternoon…

It’s a return to “civilisation” after our four days in the mountains, as we head back to Tokyo for our last four days in Japan.

Tokyo – 4 nights

Travel: About 3 hours with a hotel transfer to nearby Yudanaka station, then the Snow Monkey train to Nagano connecting to Shinkansen services to Tokyo.
Key Attractions: Shopping and a few more Tokyo sites including Tokyo Tower and the TeamLab Planet interactive art exhibit
Accommodation: Shibuya REI Hotel Hotel for 2 nights (not one I’d recommend, but close to Shibuya Crossing for NYE) and then JR Kyushu Hotel Blossom in Shinjuku (a much nicer and more conveniently located hotel)

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Our last travelling day in Japan takes us on the Snow Monkey Train to Nagano, where we catch a Shinkansen to Tokyo.

Zenkoji Temple (Nagano)

Between trains there’s time for a quick visit to Nagano’s Zenkoji Temple, one of the most important and popular temples in Japan which was was founded in the 7th century and stores the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan. The original original statue is hidden and a copy of it is shown to the public every six years for only a few weeks.

For a small fee you can ascend the Sanmon Gate via the narrow and steep ladder. The temple’s main gate, which dates back to 1750, offers a nice view over the temple and the busy Nakamise which is used to approach the temple. (You can also enter the temple’s main hall which contains various Buddhist statues, and for another small fee the hall’s inner chamber which contains the main altar.)

Shibuya (Tokyo)

For our first couple of nights in Tokyo we’re in Shibuya, a short distance from the (in)famous New Year’s countdown at Shibuya Crossing – but we find out it’s been cancelled for the fourth year in a row due to safety concerns. Despite a heavy police presence (who seem to really enjoy waving red batons and blowing their whistles) there’s sea of people and a festive atmosphere in the area.

Meiji Jingu Shrine

We see our the new year at Meiji Jingu, a Shinto shrine, which welcomes more than three million visitors for the year’s first prayers (hatsumode) and 30 million people annually, making it the world’s most-visited sacred site. Joining the throng, we can barely hear the traditional bell-ringing ceremony (the temple bells ring a total of 108 times, once for each of the worldly desires or anxieties central to Buddhism) with hundreds of thousands of people between us and the temple.

I return the following day to get a better look at the temple, which remains very busy over the the first few days of the New Year – but at least this time I can get to the shrine itself, which is situated in the middle of a tranquil forest, with 100,000 trees that were planted during the shrine’s construction. The wide path to the shrine is lined with sake barrels, displayed as a decoration and in honor of the gods and the souls of the deceased Emperor Meiji and his deceased wife Empress Shoken.

The closest subway station to Meiji Jingu Shrine is Harajuku Station, which features some less-godly pleasures in the form of the busy Takeshita Dori (Takeshita Street), a shopping have with trendy shops, fashion boutiques, used clothes stores, crepe stands and fast food outlets.

TeamLab Planet

For a slightly different (and unique) experience, TeamLab Planets is a museum “where you walk through water, and a garden where you become one with the flowers… The artworks change under the presence of people, blurring the perception of boundaries between the self and the works”.

There are four large-scale artwork spaces and two gardens that offers an interactive art experience.

Hedgehog Cafe

Another, err interesting, Japanese invention are “animal cafes”. As in, cafes where you can pat or hold a cat, a dog, birds, owls… or a hedgehog.

Tokyo Tower

In the afternoon Luke and I head off to Tokyo Tower, for another aerial view of the city. The prominent red tower was built in 1958 as a symbol of Tokyo’s rebirth after World War II, and at the time of its completion it was was the tallest tower in the world at 333 metres in height.

Tokyo Tower is now far lower in the world ranking of the tallest tower, and much less high than the Tokyo Skytree which we visited at the start of our trip – but still offers some impressive views.

Building	Height	Viewing Deck Height	Built
Shibuya Scramble Square	230m	229 Sky Stage (open air)	2019
Tokyo Metro Gov Building	243m	202m (free)	1990
Mori Tower	238m	238m Skydeck (open air)	2003
Mori JP Tower	325m	~150m Sky Room L33 (free)	2023
Tokyo Tower	333m	150m & 250m	1958
Torch Tower	390m	?	2027
Tokyo Skytree	634m	350m & 450m	2012

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Almost directly below is the busy Zōjō-ji Temple, and to the north-east is the much higher Tokyo Skytree.

But the star of the show is the distinctive Mount Fuji to the west, beyond the sprawling city.

Late afternoon / sunset or early morning on a clear day is the best time to capture a view of this majestic volcanic peak.

From the lower observation deck you can take the lift back down… or the stairs…

Mori JP Tower

Tokyo’s newest tower at the time of our visit, the Mori JP Tower has a height of 325.2 metres, and is part of the trendy Azabudai Hills development which has offices and residential apartments. It hosts 20,000 employees and 3,500 residents, and is expected to welcome 30 million visitors per year.

The tallest building (not including towers – Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree are higher) in Tokyo and Japan in 2024, the Mori JP Tower has a free observation deck and cafe on Level 33, which is about halfway up. While the vistas are not as spectacular as Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree, you get a great view of the nearby Tokyo Tower.

Shibuya Crossing

The Shibuya Crossing is far less busy in the New Year holiday period than normal, but it’s still fascinating to watch the ebb and flow of cars and pedestrians across the intersection. It’s a famous representation of Japan, and has been featured in movies including Lost in Translation and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift as well as many music videos, newscasts, and animated programs. On average, over 2.4 million people cross Shibuya (also called the Scramble) every day, which is roughly 2,500 pedestrians on every crossing.

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You can observe Shibuya Crossing from the L’Occitane Cafe, the Shibuya Mark City Walkway between JR Yamanote Line’s Tamagawa Exit and the Keio Inokashira Line Exit, Mag’s Park on top of the Magnet by Shibuya 109 or from Shibuya Sky way up on top of the Shibuya Scramble Square building (Starbucks was closed in 2024)… or you walk across the crossing with camera held high, trying not to get trampled…

I fit one last hike into our four days in Tokyo before we head home, catching a train from Shinjuku to Mount Takao, the the closest natural recreation areas to central Tokyo which is about an hour away.