Richard's blog

I include these as an intermezzo… I didn’t visit many of the above during my times in Japan, so I don’t feel like I’m the right person to ask about them. Nevertheless…

Firstly, I personally think that Tokyo itself is quite disappointing for historic structures. I know a lot of tourists go to the temples at Asakusa; I personally found them very underwhelming. Meiji-jingu has wonderful grounds, and the shrine itself has a certain simple and spacious majesty. Yasukuni Shrine, which former Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi caused controversy by frequently visiting, is a similarly austere structure, perhaps even more so. The War Museum at Yasukuni is very interesting. None of these structures is particularly old.

Definitely, Kyoto is a great place to go to experience ye olde Japanese gardens, temples, shrines, palaces, etc. Most of it is pretty obvious from the guidebook. Ryoanji is definitely worth a visit, but if you want to get a little bit off the beaten track, try Daitokuji – a compound containing five or six different temples, each with its own traditional Japanese rock garden. I enjoyed this very much.

The Japanese do very nice small gardens, and even some fantastic ornamental big gardens, but they really don’t do parks all that well. Hibiya Park and Ueno Park should be missed by anyone on a schedule, except for Ueno Park in Spring when it is a riot of sakura (Cherry blossom). Probably the best place to see sakura en masse.

Nikko, a couple of hours out of Tokyo by train, is worth the trouble if you have some time. It has a spectacular collection of shrines and temples, which include the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, an important shogun. The style of this precinct is somewhat more flamboyant, even Chinese, compared to some of the more restrained, Japanese-style things to be found in Kyoto. If you are going to Nikko, you may as well take advantage of some of the hot springs (onsen) which are famous in the region.

Kamakura is a coastal town within easy striking distance of Tokyo. It has a long and rich history, including a brief period as the de facto capital of Japan. I believe the beach is quite nice by Japanese standards. The Daibutsu (Big Buddha) is certainly big. I went to Kamakura on my very first trip to Japan, so my memory is quite hazy, but I seem to recall it is worth the visit. For atmosphere, Tsukui okonomiyaki restaurant , found at the end of a laneway, with its centuries-old garden, is pretty special. It is cook-your-own, though.

Hakone is a great favourite of Japanese people, and often mentioned in the guidebooks. As far as I can make out, its principal attraction is that Mount Fuji is in the background. That doesn’t make up for the tourist doggerel and boredom that is in the foreground. Avoid, unless you absolutely 100% guaranteed of a perfectly clear day.

Lastly for somewhere I have never been. Izu Peninsula (Izuhantou) is supposed to be lovely, and one of the best places within striking distance of Tokyo to get close to nature.