Japan was always going to be very different after a month in China and it didn't dissappoint. Tokyo was a great city to catch up with friends from Sydney, watch baseball, eat sushi and sashimi and relax.
Travelling around Japan on the bullet trains made travel quick and easy and the fact the staff bowed to you before you boarded amazed us both.
We were lucky enough to catch the end of the cherry blossom season which is quite unique as was bathing in public onsens, staying in Ryokan (traditional Japanese accommodation) and a capsule hotel (futureristic space theme hotel).
Toilets in Japan are also state of the art with functionalities ranges from seat that automatically lifted when bathroom door opens, heated seats, music to mask the pee pee and poo poo sounds, bidet/spray that caters for men and women's anatomy (only way to find out is to press every button) and warm air to dry the private parts. The whole toilet business could be achieved wihtout having to touch any part of the toilet but a selection of buttons. One must admit that they are so amazing and one could spend hours on it.
Uniquely Nippon
- Over the top packaging.
- How polite the people are: the bowing, very quiet in public transport.
- Amazing food: sushi, sashimi, ramen, etc.
- Bullet trains.
- Onsen and Ryokan.
- Golden Gai - tiny pubs that sit no more than 5 people.
- The toilet - of course.
Stop Over
- Tokyo: Great to catch up with the Bernards, Oon Soon, Louise and Henry and met Karel and Michael.
- Nikko: A quiant little mountain side and local onsen experience.
- Karuizawa: .
- Kanazawa: .
- Hiroshima: Peace park for the atomic bombing.
- Kinosakionsen: Traditional Ryokan and onsen experience.
- Kyoto: Temples, temples and temples.
- Osaka: Night life.
In conclusion, Japan is proven to be more expensive than other Asian countries but it is so different or wacky. :)
STOPS: Tokyo, Nikko, Karuizawa, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Kinosakionsen, Kyoto, Osaka
Date: 26/04/2015 to 18/05/2015 (22 days)
