Tourism Tips
I decided to do this page
because of all the e-mail I receive about sightseeing in Japan. I'm not
a travel expert, but I think that what's written here is accurate
enough to give you a general idea of what things are like until you can
get info on specific places.
When to Come
"When's the best time to visit Japan?" is probably the question I hear the most. Putting it simply, Japan really doesn't have extreme weather conditions anywhere when compared to the rest of the world. Hokkaido would be very cold in the winter, but Japan's most comfortable spot in the summer; and the opposite could be said about Okinawa. For general travel, however, I would recommend October and November. While it's true that that is Japan's typhoon season, only one every week or so approaches close enough to make it on the weather portion of the news, and only one out of three or four of those actually create conditions wild enough to warrant weather warnings. There is one nice thing about the typhoon season: the weather we have between the typhoons is great.
Spring's greatest merit is the fact that that's when Japan's famous cherry blossom season is.1 It starts down in Okinawa in late March and gradually works its way northward. Generally speaking, the blossoms are good for about 10 days. Out of those 10 days 3 or 4 should be nice enough to do hanami (flower viewing), but the sooner the better: Some years storm systems move in which are sufficient to wipe out the blossoms in a day or two.
I think it would be safe to say that summer, especially August and early September, would be the worst time to come to Japan. That is unless you like relentless humid heat, because that's exactly what you'll get.
Where to Stay
The average tourist to Japan will usually be most comfortable in a business hotel, city hotel, or resort hotel.
There are many business-class hotels near major train stations, making them very convenient. Prices quoted are usually "per room" and don't include any meals. The rooms are very small, have the bare necessities, and cost 4,500 to 7,000 yen per night2, depending on the newness and niceness of the place. They are called "business hotels" because they are just a decent place for people on business trips to spend the night. Top executive types or others who need to make an impression will not be seen here.
City hotels are fancier, fewer, and a bit more expensive. They usually offer a meal plan, but here's where you can run into problems if you aren't on your toes: Meal plan quotes are per person, which means that the overall hotel bill for 2 people can easily double by simply adding meals, even if you stay in the same room. Also, unless you stay in an expensive place that has buffet-style meals (called "Viking style" in Japan), you won't have much to choose from with a meal plan menu. Though the set "meal plan" menu includes quite a variety of things to try, the average Westerner will find little of it appetizing, and will wonder how such small portions of food can cost so much.
Resort hotels are nice because they're away from the city noise, usually up in the mountains or near the sea, but they can be expensive. My major gripe with them is the fact that you cannot escape the meal plan. The price, from around 9,000 yen per person, is for the room, dinner, and breakfast — you can't just get a room without the meals. Also, since many foreign visitors seem to be interested in onsen (hot springs), I'll add here that the resort hotel will be the only option if you want to stay near one. Many of the resort hotels monopolize one or more of these hot springs, offering a "package deal" which includes a room, dinner, breakfast, and free use of the springs. The last time I priced the nicer ones in the prefecture, which are in Kotohira, they were around 20,000 yen per person per night.
Economically, the best route is to take everything separately: Stay at a small hotel in town where you can pay for the room only; eat what you want where you want when you want; go to a hot springs that isn't connected to a resort hotel.
The Japanese are used to having everything organized for them, which is why you'll see the often-joked-about groups following a flag-bearing group leader like a bunch of pigeons while on tour. They like service and convenience and don't mind paying for it. They also naturally think that the whole world thinks the same way, and sometimes can't understand when people want to "do their own thing." However, if you're willing to look around and not give up, you can usually find some reasonable options.
If you don't have much experience in Japan or with the language, it would probably not be a good idea to go directly into a hotel because the chances are good that you'll end up with something different than what you expected. You'll be better off if you get some guidance before you go. Most major train stations have a tourist information desk staffed with at least one English speaker. If not, go out and walk around and you should be able to find a small travel agency, on a main street or in the lobby of a nearby hotel. These people usually have experience with visitors and their needs, and will be able to give the best advice.
One more thing: Most hotel rooms will have a refrigerator stocked with drinks, and shelves or drawers with snacks. They are not complimentary! You will be billed for everything you take, and the cost will be double or triple that of the same item found in a convenience store.
Where to Go
This, of course, will differ greatly between tourists. If you get a package of some kind, you'll probably end up doing the "tourist trap route," as I call it. I don't mean that to be derogatory, though. It's probably the best for first-timers because it showcases the traditional and popular sights and attractions of Japan.
This route basically follows the Shinkansen (the high-speed "Bullet Train" line) from Tokyo to Hiroshima, which includes Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Okayama, and Kurashiki along the way. I say "tourist trap" because all the places visited are almost always crowded with tourists, from near and abroad, and everything is priced to separate the tourist from his or her money as quickly as possible.
As one ventures away from this main trunk line, directories in English will gradually fade away and things will get harder to find. If you feel adventurous and don't mind asking around and exploring, you'll be rewarded with an experience that most tourists to Japan never have: You'll be able to see places which are uncrowded and non-commercialized, and be able to enjoy them at your own pace.
Obviously, if you want to see the biggest and best shops and stores, you'll want to go to Tokyo or Osaka. If you like mountains and rivers, you don't go to Tokyo or Osaka because nice, natural scenery will be hours away. If you want to see wide open spaces go to Hokkaido or Kyushu. Okinawa has the best beaches. Of course, I'm generalizing here. You could also visit only Shikoku and see everything you need in the way of new and old, city and country, shopping and sightseeing. It goes without saying that a little info gathering and planning beforehand will make the trip go smoother without a lot of time wasted. Then again, some people like adventures....
What to See in Kagawa Prefecture
There are many things to see in this area, but the top 3 are Ritsurin Park, Shikoku Village, and Yashima.
Ritsurin Park is just south of the center of Takamatsu, and is one of Japan's top botanical gardens.3 Huge groups of tourists from all over the country come by bus and go through the park regularly, but they stay around the larger ponds on the south end of the park. The north end and west side are never crowded, and are where you want to go to enjoy the park in peace and quiet. Admission is 400 yen for adults.
Shikoku Village is a must for those interested in Japanese history. They have collected old buildings from all over Shikoku and have reassembled them at the south foot of Yashima, just a few miles east of downtown Takamatsu. You can see the way the Japanese lived 100 years ago by exploring mills, a soy sauce brewery, foundries, and traditional homes there. The buildings are complete with machinery and tools of the period.
Yashima is a unique mesa-like mountain just east of Takamatsu, as mentioned above, and is probably the area's most famous landmark because it is the site of the clash between the Heike and Genji clans of the samurai period. You can go up to the top from the south side by cable car (called a "ropeway" here), or take a bus or taxi. Up on top are walking trails all over with great views of the Seto Sea, food booths, a restaurant, a small aquatic show, and a traditional shrine complex.
While these 3 places are the most popular, I would think it a shame for someone to come to this area and not experience:
- the local train ride out to Kotohira (about an hour)
- the 10,000 steps (a slight exaggeration) up to the top of Kompira-san in Kotohira
- the view of the Seto Bridge and surrounding sea from Goshikidai
- the hiking trails of Mineyama
- a ride on the ferry to Shodo Island (one hour) to explore around
... just to name some of my favorites.4
Negatives
Japan's a great place to visit with very few negative points. They are:
Things are expensive. The traveller will have to plan on 5,000 to 8,000 yen per night for lodging, 1,500 to 2,500 yen per day for meals, 1,000 to 3,000 yen per day for transportation, and 300 to 3,000 yen for admission to any park, recreation, or entertainment. And that's if you don't go for anything too fancy.
You can't trust the weather. I grew up in Southern California, and realize that it's really unfair to compare the weather of any other area to it, but I do anyway. If you like blue skies and sunshine for those nifty outdoor pictures you want to take, you may have to wait days for cooperative weather in Japan. The weather forecasts are quite detailed; they'll always let you know that there's a such-and-such percent chance of rain. What they don't tell you is that their forecast also has only a such-and-such chance of being accurate. So when you see nice weather on the way, plan to make the most of it because it is usually short-lived.
The weather is especially changeable in the spring and fall, but, as already mentioned, some of the nicest days I've seen in Japan have been in the fall, between typhoons.
Popular means crowded. I guess this is something you have to contend with wherever you go, but in Japan it's so obviously real. Here are two good tips:
- Go to less popular places.
Most streets have no names. This means that when a tourist asks for directions at the front desk to, say, a camera shop, he or she will be given those directions based on landmarks or the number of traffic lights. ("Blocks" aren't used because of all the tiny, confusing side streets.) The farther you go the more confusing it gets. Even if they draw you a map you'll have only those landmarks to guide you. Only the major streets have names or numbers, but the signs that have the names or numbers are few and far between, and not placed at every corner, making memorization of the names meaningless.
Positives
These probably don't need mentioning because tourists to Japan already know about the positive aspects — that's why they come. I'm afraid that I might leave some out, but here are the ones that quickly come to mind:
You're safe. Sure, Japan has its crime, but you really have to go looking for it to find it. You may have a bicycle taken if you leave it unlocked, or an unguarded umbrella ripped off, but all in all you couldn't ask for a safer country to visit.
Finding help is easy. The Japanese may seem very cool, even rude, to each other, but when a visitor needs directions or something it's not hard to find someone that will go out of his or her way to help, or find someone else that can help.
Public transportation is reliable. Except for real rural sightseeing, Japan has many public transportation systems available. They're clean, efficient, and always on time. Strikes are rare, and are usually settled very quickly. For your rural touring use a bicycle.
Additionally, more signs, notices, and directions in English have been put up recently in stations, trains, and buses which serve the more popular areas, making getting around all the less confusing.
Staggering variety of food. Even the smaller cities and towns will have all kinds of restaurants: Chinese, Indian (curry rice is very popular in Japan), noodle shops specializing in soba and/or udon, Japanese grills featuring fried noodles and okonomiyaki (looks a bit like a pizza but tastes like something else), barbeque shops, seafood, pricey Japanese cuisine places, and the American fast food shops.5 Many of these open only at night, so in the evening you'll see streets lined with places opening up as you walk around the downtown areas.
One great convenience you'll find is the plastic food display in front of each eatery. By looking at these you'll know how much each item costs and, well, kind of an idea of what you'll get.
It's a green country. Even in mid-summer. If you like green hills and fields, you'll love it here. Please don't leave Japan without taking a train or bicycle ride through the countryside. You'll be glad you did.
Notes
- Here are some nice cherry blossoms in Ritsurin Park.
- Quotes are for my geographical area. Hotels in bigger cities, and especially Tokyo, will start out higher.
- Please take a look at my Ritsurin Park photos.
- See Takamatsu's official website regarding sightseeing in the area.
- McDonald's and KFC are so plentiful here that I've had students ask me if we have them in America. (!)
© 1999 - 2008 Tim R. Matheson
