Japan Guide 2023

IRASSHAIMASE... (welcome)

Japan is absolutely in travellers’ sights. Its post-pandemic comeback has been stellar. Japan is slick, eclectic, cultural, charming. It's the contrast and communion between neon-bright city streets and traditional shrines.

This is a place of ancient and modern cultures, of etiquette and design and traditional tea ceremonies. It is to feel the tick of time as you stand before the Senso-ji Buddhist temple. It is to feel the history of Matsumoto Castle. It is miso soup and noodles. It is an afternoon at an onsen. And it is to sit in comfort in a Shinkansen "bullet train", watching the countryside slide silently by. It the Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima.

It has a culture which has been in the making for thousands of years.

Top of the list are surely Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, with easy travel between them on the shinkansen. But we’ll look past that, in this Japan guide . . .

SEE IT

+ Tokyo. Shinjuku and Harajuku neighbourhoods, from the sharp boutiques of Cat Street to hip Harajuku. Tsukiji (and its Outer Tsukiji Market) and Ginza, and the Ginza Mitsukoshi and boutiques. Asakusa Sensoji Shrine.

+ Osaka's neon-lit Dotonbori district.

+ The O-torii Gate of Miyajima Island.

+ UNESCO sites including Shirakawa-go, Nijo Castle, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine and Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

+ Takayama's old town in the Japanese Alps.

+ A classic all-inclusive tour itinerary could include Tokyo and Osaka, and be around $7000 for 13 days. Look for tours with meals included in the price.

BIG FIVE

Tokyo

This massive city began as a fishing village. But in 1868, Emperor Meiji moved the capital from Kyoto to Tokyo. It was rebuilt after World War II, setting the scene for one of the world's best-planned, most efficient and effective cities. There's plenty to see and do, from the Ginza district to Sensoji Temple and Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Kyoto

This city, two hours and 40 minutes by shinkansen from Tokyo, was the country's cultural heart for more than 1000 years, until Tokyo became the capital. Kyoto emerged largely intact from WWII, meaning it has a lot of historic palaces, castles, shrines and temples. A favourite is Kiyomizu-dera temple, which dates back to 780AD. Kyoto has 17 monuments listed with UNESCO, including Nijo Castle.

Osaka

Osaka is a nice, relaxed city — and travellers rightly head here for food, fun and a bit of nightlife. Osaka is only about 250km from Tokyo (a very short shinkansen train trip) but has a completely different persona. A highlight is surely Osaka Castle, with its beautiful grounds — particularly during April's cherry blossom season.

Hiroshima

Of course, the name is synonymous with an atomic bomb being dropped here on August 6, 1945. Some 80,000 people died. The Peace Memorial Museum is a delicate and fitting memorial. Also put Hiroshima Castle on your list. The impressive, five-storey castle was built in 1589, and has a good museum explaining Samurai culture.

Takayama

From Tokyo, take the JR Hokuriku shinkansen from Tokyo to Toyama, then transfer to the JR Hida limited express train. The whole trip takes just 90 minutes. Takayama's name translates to "tall mountain", as this city is in the hilly Hida area. Its geographic position and isolation have helped preserve its old town. There's insight into the place at Hida no Sato Folk Village. An "an open-air museum", it has old-style wooden farmhouses. I’d definitely have the Hida-Kokubunji Temple on my list — it was built in 746 and has a massive ginkgo tree which is more than 1000 years old.

SUMMER

Summer in Japan is from June-August and is festival, fireworks and dance season.

It will usually start with three or four weeks of rain, which is so important for farmers planting rice, but generally not what visitors are after. Aim for July onwards, but expect summer to be hot and humid sometimes.

Classic summer itinerary

Tokyo and Osaka should, of course, always be included. But for a bigger, see-everything itinerary of, let's say, three weeks, let's include the four main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu.

+ Mt Fuji, Matsumoto Castle, Hiroshima and Nara are just a few of the must-sees.

+ If you are into gardens, consider Ritsurin, Kinkakuji, Byodoin and Kenrokuen.

Coast & surf

The Japanese head to the coast and mountains to cool down — and that's a good plan for us visitors, too. Japan has four big islands and well over 3000 smaller ones. Its coastline faces both the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan.

Japan has good surf and, with such a big coast and so many islands, there are lots of wind and swell options. Water temperature varies from 17C-21C. Short-lived but solid low-pressure systems track up and down from the Pacific.

There are good beaches a bit over an hour from Tokyo by train on the Izu Peninsula, and there are quality reef breaks around Okinawa and river-mouth breaks at Shikoku. In the south, Miyazaki and Kagoshima have good surf. The typhoon season is from August.

Fireworks

Somewhere, almost every night, the sky will be lit up. In Tokyo in late July, Sumida River Fireworks Festival is a massive display, as is Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks Festival in August.

It is also dance season. Thousands of dancers will perform at Tokyo's Koenji Awa Odori Festival in August.

But summer festivals and celebrations aren't confined to Tokyo.

There's the Gion Festival in Kyoto in July, with a big float parade. In August in Kyoto, there's the Daimonji Gozan Fire Festival. There's the Tenjin Festival at Tenman Shrine in Osaka in July.

Summer foods

Seasonality is fundamental to Japanese cuisine, as is the awareness that the temperature and effect dishes have on the body are dependent on season. Chilled ramen noodles are made by cooking for perhaps two minutes in boiling water, draining, then plunging into a bowl of ice water to cool completely. Thick udon noodles, mostly made from wheat flour from western Japan, are eaten cold with a soy sauce dip. In summer, hiyashi chuka is a healthy, light and refreshing one-dish noodle meal.

Look for seasonal dishes with bamboo shoots (these tender shoots can be eaten as sushi, cooked in rice, sauteed or stir-fried) and fuki, a variety of coltsfoot with a crunch like celery and a subtle flavour.

Unajya, or unadon, is a bowl of rice with grilled eel coated in sweetened soy sauce, and popular in summer.

In summer, local delicacies are abalone (raw, steamed or simmered), sea bass (smooth, white fish), and Japanese mackerel (with ginger and chive). Many types of squid are served, including surume ika, which is dried, cut into strips and eaten as a salty, chewy snack.

WINTER

Late December to late March.

Now is a good time to plan ahead for winter. Further north, winters are generally long and cold, but in the big cities of Tokyo and Osaka, they’re shorter and cold but with sunny days, and only occasional snow.

Winter, of course, means some of the best powder snow in the world. There's a simple geographic reason for that — the warm Sea of Japan has a high level of transpiration, and frigidly cold winds from Siberia blow through the rising warm, most air. Believe me, that results in light, dry, fluffy powder snow.

It's surely one of the world's best natural snow-maker systems. (Pass me that goosedown doona.)

Ski, board or not

For skiiers and snowboarders, that powder snow is the stuff of dreams, of course. But winter is a brilliant time to visit for non-skiiers, too. The winter scenery is beautiful. There are mountains with spruce trees wearing dobs of snow like icing sugar. Neat fields become white blankets. Icicles hang in rows, as long as a forearm. The monochromatic drama of snow in Japan is more dramatic as it follows the kaleidoscopic theatre of autumn.

Onsen

Sitting in hot spring water surrounded by a snowy landscape in an onsen is bizarre… and blissful. The big confrontation of hot and cold. By definition, onsen should use water heated naturally underground and produced from geothermal springs. By legal definition, onsen water must contain at least one of 19 designated chemical elements, including radon and metabolic acid, and be 25C or warmer.

Ryokan

Ryokan are Japanese-style inns, and often found in hot spring resorts. Japanese hospitality is experienced first-hand, and etiquette is to the fore. Great attention is paid to the guest on arrival at a ryokan.

The emphasis is on tradition and authenticity. This is where we visitors truly experience local cuisine, futon beds and tatami floors. Overnight stays often include a full kaiseki ryori dinner (haute cuisine, Japanese-style) and breakfast the next morning. Lots of ryokan have pretty gardens and baths.

Winter foods

Miso soup is a classic, and ideal for warming in winter. It's versatile, too. Miso soup can be light, with just a few blocks of tofu, or heavy, and rather stew-like. Key ingredients are consistent — dashi and white miso, red miso, or a combination of the two.

Hot pot dishes (nabe) are popular for winter warming. A big metal pot of stock simmers (often on a gas stove) in the middle of the dining table, and ingredients are brought and put in the pot and cooked. Don't stick your own chopsticks into the pot — use others that are supplied. Don't dip your food into the communal dipping bowl. At the end of the meal, diners will share the broth, sipping out of their own bowls.

Winter seems hardly complete without a serve of Oden hot pot. This may have daikon radish, hanpen (fish cakes), chikuwa (fish cakes), boiled eggs and konnyaku (yam cake).

Yosenabe is a hot pot dish — meat, seafood, tofu, egg, vegetables, often cooked together.

In mizutaki, chicken and other ingredients are simmered in dashi soup, once again in a pot at the dining table, and shared by all.

Leaf colours

Before we get to winter, of course, comes the colourful leaf turn of autumn. The Japanese have been viewing this spectacle for centuries, of course, and have it down to a fine art, with favourite spots in mountains, parks and temples. Think vivid red, orange, yellow and gold.

The turning of the leaves in autumn is called "koyo", and it starts around mid-September and moves south from Hokkaido, reaching the lower altitudes of central and then southern Japan, usually by the end of November.

+ In late September and early October, be in Hokkaido, and particularly in Niseko, with its mountains, lakes and hot springs, and Nagano. Mt Fuji needs to be incorporated into an itinerary.

By late October to early November, the viewing is generally best in Risshaku-ji Temple, Yamagatai; Lake Inawashiro-ko, Fukushima; Lake Ashino-ko, Kanagawa; Eihei-ji Temple, Fukui.

+ One of Japan's most beautiful gardens, Kenrokuen Garden, in Kanazawa, Ishikawa, is spectacular.

+ Imperial Palace, Tokyo, with its golden ginkgo trees, and Kyoto are alive with colour by mid and late November.

+ Eikando Temple in Kyoto is spectacular in autumn, as is Osaka Castle.

TRAINS

Lots of visitors will travel by train — and it's nothing to be scared about. Years ago, announcements, ticket machines and signs were only in Japanese (I remember those tricky days) but today's Japanese railways are geared up for international visitors.

The vast and efficient railway network, and the shinkansen, connect every city and almost every part of Japan. Trains absolutely run on time, and are safe and clean.

There are basically three types of rail systems:

+ There are the private local railways run by municipal governments or private companies.

+ Subways are the arteries which make the cities flow. They are punctual and convenient — and, once you dive in, easy to use.

+ Japan Railways (JR) is the main company, with a big, schmick network. The JR-operated shinkansen connects most main cities, and lives up to its name, being bullet-fast.

+ The shinkansen and longer-distance local railways usually have different classes of seating. It's a bit like air travel, with options with reclining seats, tables and onboard services. If you are tempted to recline your seat on the shinkansen or express trains, nod to the person behind first, and say "excuse me".

+ Travellers can take on board a bento box bought from a kiosk on a platform. Onboard, there will be safe and tasty "ekiben" (packed meals). But under Japanese etiquette, only eat on long-distance trains, not on local subways or trains.

+ Travel, or IC, cards like Suica and Pasmo can be used on most train system. They make it easy, as you don't need to buy individual tickets. Mobile app versions of the main IC cards are now available, which you can link to your credit card before you travel.

+ The Japan Rail Pass with unlimited rides can prove cost-effective. Lots of cities have one-day and multiple-day passes.

+ Most stations have elevators. There are usually staff around to help people with wheelchairs or the less physically able. Ask for help at ticket gates.

ETIQUETTE

Etiquette is important in Japan, and a little knowledge will make the brush with Japanese culture gentle and enlightening.

+ Respect forms the foundation of basic etiquette in Japan. Just knowing that is a good tool.

+ Japanese are much more likely to bow in greeting than to shake hands, hug or kiss. So don't go for body contact unless it is clearly what is expected. Walking around the streets of Japan, I always notice people bowing to passersby as a respectful greeting. A courteous nod goes a long way.

+ Remembering a few key words will go a long way. "Konnichiwa" is easy, of course — "hello". "Sumimasen" usually means "sorry", but can be used widely, including for "thank you" and "excuse me". "Arigato gozaimasu" might be a little more complicated, but it is great as a direct "thank you".

+ There is generally no need to tip in Japan.

+ Taking off shoes inside lots of places is embedded in Japanese culture. A good guide is to take off your shoes just inside a doorway, and then put on "indoor-use slippers", which are usually provided. Put your outdoor shoes in a shoebox, which is often provided. And once you are in, it is then polite (and required) to take off slippers when you step on to tatami mats.

+ People with tattoos are usually not allowed to enter hot springs, bathhouses, swimming pools or gyms. Some owners and operators make exceptions, but it's always best to ask rather than be embarrassed. As a guide, hot springs run by a municipality are usually more tolerant of tattoos.

+ Before you go off dining, a good word to remember is "itadakimasu". It means "I’m glad to receive this meal". When eating with others, no one starts until everyone has been served. Leaving food on your plate isn't viewed well.

+ On public transportation, use your "indoor voice", if you speak. Talking on your phone is really frowned upon in trains and buses. Keep your phone on silent, and my advice is not to talk on it.

+ If you aren't sure how to behave, do what locals do.

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