{"id":12018,"date":"2016-09-27T09:00:15","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T08:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.insidejapantours.com\/?p=12018"},"modified":"2016-09-27T10:13:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-27T09:13:00","slug":"first-time-japan-top-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/27\/first-time-japan-top-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"First-timer&#8217;s Japan: Top tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Tom Bulloch and Roberta Howery travelled to Japan with us in May and fell in love with the country and its people. Here, Tom explains what made their trip so fantastic and give a few top tips and recommendations for other first-time travellers to Japan.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s that one?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>My wife was looking over my shoulder at the Inside Japan Tours website.\u00a0 We were seriously considering the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/i-grc\/golden-route\/\">Golden Route<\/a> Self-Guided Adventure for two reasons; it sounded like an excellent, affordable \u201cfirst trip to Japan\u201d choice, and because it was independent travel.\u00a0 While we are both in our 60s, we\u2019ve travelled extensively (in much less civilised places than Japan), and we much prefer the incomparable discoveries, freedom, ability to interface with \u201clocals,\u201d and even the surprises that come with independent travel.<\/p>\n<p>Of course, there is \u201cadventure\u201d and there is \u201cfoolish.\u201d\u00a0 Never having been to Japan, and Japanese being all Greek to me, having our itinerary, transportation, and lodging pre-arranged by someone who knew what they were doing is simply a wise use of money and even more precious time.<\/p>\n<p>I had been looking at the \u201cClassic\u201d level of the Golden Route, quite reasonable indeed, when my wife said, \u201cWhat\u2019s the \u2018Superior\u2019 level?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUhh, that\u2019s too expensive,\u201d I replied.\u00a0 \u201cShow me,\u201d she said, not willing to accept my assessment.<\/p>\n<p>She made note of the gorgeous accommodations, first-class rail travel, the inclusion of local guides in Tokyo and Kyoto, and other extras, and pronounced: \u201cWe\u2019re doing that one.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s almost twice as much,\u201d I argued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn case you haven\u2019t noticed, we\u2019re not getting any younger,\u201d she replied.\u00a0 \u201cBook it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Resistance being futile, I called the Boulder, Colorado office, not that far from us, and was very lucky to reach Alice Volkmar (you, too, can reach her by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/staff-profiles\/travel-consultants\/111\/alice-volkmar\/\">clicking here<\/a>).\u00a0 In the weeks to come, Alice would spend much more time than she probably should have with me discussing Japan, mutual experiences, and the state of the world. She worked tirelessly to put together our trip on relatively short notice, including some custom tailoring, and her help and advice was invaluable. <em>Arigato gozaimasu<\/em>, Alice.<\/p>\n<p>I won\u2019t bore anyone who might read this with a day-by-day description of our trip; after all, the joys of independent travel lie in finding your own way. Some observations and suggestions might, though, be of interest to someone considering a trip to Japan:<\/p>\n<h1>Getting around is easy<\/h1>\n<p>Far from being intimidating, Tokyo is a breeze to navigate with its outstanding subway and rail system. Stops are indicated in English as well as in Japanese.\u00a0 The system is impeccably clean, pleasant, and efficient.\u00a0 You can get just about anywhere in metro Tokyo in 30 minutes or less.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12029\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12029\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12029\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R.jpg\" alt=\"Tokyo: not as difficult to navigate as you might think\" width=\"1170\" height=\"569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-300x146.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-768x373.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-1024x498.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-564x274.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-900x438.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-720x350.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-390x190.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-780x379.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1003_R-510x248.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12029\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tokyo: not as difficult to navigate as you might think<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Was \u201cSuperior\u201d that superior?<\/h1>\n<p>As much as I hate to admit it, my wife was right. The accommodations were simply outstanding, a delight after a long and sometimes hot day exploring. First-class rail travel is delightful. It was worth every dollar, yen, or euro. The included hotel breakfasts were remarkable.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12030\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12030\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12030\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R.jpg\" alt=\"Going up a grade in Japanese accommodation really pays off\" width=\"1170\" height=\"878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-564x423.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1014_R-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12030\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Going up a grade in Japanese accommodation really pays off<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Invest in private guides<\/h1>\n<p>Perhaps the greatest value lay in having personal guides for a day in Tokyo and Kyoto. Yes, they added immensely to our knowledge and understanding of what we were seeing. Equally valuable was being able to quickly \u201clearn the ropes\u201d of subway travel, food, customs, and inside tips that would have taken us days to comprehend.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12027\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12027\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12027\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R.jpg\" alt=\"Private guides add a wealth of local insight into your trip\" width=\"1170\" height=\"1690\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-208x300.jpg 208w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-768x1109.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-709x1024.jpg 709w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-390x563.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-900x1300.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-720x1040.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-780x1127.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1291_R-510x737.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12027\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Private guides add a wealth of local insight into your trip<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Learn about history in Hiroshima<\/h1>\n<p>The day trip we added to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/hiroshima\/\">Hiroshima<\/a>, which we debated, is simply a must. It is impossible to see what transpired here without being moved. There are no politics, no blame, no excessive sentimentality, simply an incredibly accurate and poignant retelling of August 6, 1945. Plan on spending an entire day at the Peace Park and the museum. I\u2019d suggest seeing the museum first, and the time you\u2019ll spend in the Peace Park itself will mean that much more. Then after all that heaviness, wander around and find a tiny <em>okonomiyaki<\/em> restaurant, the Japanese \u201cpancakes\u201d for which the city is known.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12018 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/27\/first-time-japan-top-tips\/img_1058_r\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1058_R-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-12031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1058_R-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1058_R-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-12031'>\n\t\t\t\tOkonomiyaki: A speciality of Hiroshima\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2016\/09\/27\/first-time-japan-top-tips\/dsc_1327_r\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1327_R-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-12028\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1327_R-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1327_R-300x300.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-12028'>\n\t\t\t\tPaper cranes at the Peace Park\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<h1>Bring your own chopsticks<\/h1>\n<p>Buy a nice pair of chopsticks and take them with you (it also helps to practice ahead of your arrival, as forks are scarce). Japan consumes 2 billion sets of disposable chopsticks every year, and there is a growing environmental movement to reduce the amount of lumber that is thrown away. Besides, pulling out your own titanium or elegant wood chopsticks is really cool.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12033\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12033\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12033 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R.jpg\" alt=\"Top tips: Help reduce waste by bringing your own chopsticks\" width=\"1170\" height=\"866\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-768x568.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-1024x758.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-564x417.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-900x666.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-720x533.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-390x289.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-780x577.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1393_R-510x377.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12033\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Help reduce waste by bringing your own chopsticks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Explore<\/h1>\n<p>Don\u2019t be afraid to explore. Any time of day. Japan is probably the safest country in the world.\u00a0 Get out of the hotel and wander. We found remarkable little hole-in-the-wall restaurants, inexpensive and delicious, whose owners are thrilled to see you. Often nothing is in English, not even the sign and usually not the menu. No problem. Simply point or choose from the omnipresent window displays. You really can\u2019t go wrong.<\/p>\n<p>We discovered by accident a small, lonely Shinto shrine, almost completely hidden in the forest, just a short walk above our <em>ryokan<\/em> in Hakone. We were the only people there. While the large, famous temples, especially in Kyoto, are extremely impressive, this tiny, moss-covered testament to the Shinto faith, no doubt supported by a small handful of individuals these days, had an atmosphere and impact far beyond its modest size. There were no indications it was there, other than a long stone stairway leading up into the trees. We would never have seen it were we not inclined to explore, and feeling comfortable in doing so.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12022\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12022\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12022\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R.jpg\" alt=\"The forests of Hakone conceal numerous hidden temples\" width=\"1170\" height=\"777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-564x375.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-720x478.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-390x259.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-780x518.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0536_R-510x339.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12022\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The forests of Hakone conceal numerous hidden temples<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Get out at night<\/h1>\n<p>The major tourist sights are crowded during the day. If you get a chance to return at night, it is a different world. The crowds are gone and many of the temples and historic buildings are beautifully lit, providing superb photo ops. The Senso-ji Temple, for example, was packed in the afternoon. But, it was a five-minute walk from our hotel in Asakusa. After dark, there are very few visitors and a totally different and peaceful experience.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12020\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12020\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12020\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R.jpg\" alt=\"Sights like Senso-ji are quiet and atmospheric after dark\" width=\"1170\" height=\"779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-900x599.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-720x479.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-780x519.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0310_R-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12020\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sights like Senso-ji are quiet and atmospheric after dark<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Learn some Japanese<\/h1>\n<p>Learn a few basic phrases in Japanese before you go. Simply knowing \u201cplease,\u201d \u201cthank you,\u201d \u201cgood morning,\u201d \u201cgood evening,\u201d \u201cthat was delicious\u201d and a few more will ingratiate you to the Japanese people and reward you in ways you cannot imagine. Spoken Japanese is simple to pronounce, since like Spanish, all vowels are pronounced the same.<\/p>\n<p>Do a little reading about Japanese culture and etiquette. The Japanese will appreciate it and you will feel more comfortable.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also avoid a \u201cbow-fest\u201d that never stops!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12026\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12026\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12026\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R.jpg\" alt=\"Japanese schoolchildren pay their respects at the Peace Park\" width=\"1170\" height=\"755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-768x496.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-1024x661.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-564x364.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-900x581.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-720x465.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-390x252.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-780x503.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_1280_R-510x329.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12026\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Japanese schoolchildren pay their respects at the Peace Park<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Hakone Open-Air Museum<\/h1>\n<p>I promised to avoid too much of the \u201cmust-see\u201d reviews, but I\u2019ll make an exception for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/experience-japan\/i-aa005-16\/open-air-sculpture-park\/\">Hakone Outdoor Museum:<\/a> one of the most enjoyable, impressive and unique collections of modern art I\u2019ve ever encountered. The mountain setting is spectacular, and even if you have no interest in modern sculpture whatsoever, it is impossible not to be entertained by the often whimsical works of many of the great names of modern art.\u00a0 The Picasso display alone is worth a couple of hours.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12023\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12023\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12023\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R.jpg\" alt=\"Hakone: Home of Mount Fuji and the amazing Open-Air Museum\" width=\"1170\" height=\"695\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-300x178.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-768x456.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-1024x608.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-564x335.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-900x535.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-720x428.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-390x232.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-780x463.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0557_R-510x303.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hakone: Home of Mount Fuji and the amazing Open-Air Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the risk of sounding patronising, never in all our travels have we had a more impeccably organised, glitch-free trip than that arranged by Alice and Inside Japan Tours. Of special note are the detailed itinerary and guidebooks provided by IJT for our trip. I had purchased two of the \u201cbig name\u201d guidebooks on Japan, and while helpful, they were totally unnecessary. Inside Japan provides exceptionally in-depth, unique recommendations based upon the personal experiences of their staff.\u00a0 These led us to many highly interesting, off-the-beaten-track experiences we would never have known about otherwise. Plus, addresses and important names are printed in Japanese, too, so if you get lost or need some help, you can simply point and someone will understand.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ve heard about \u201cbeing able to set your watch\u201d by someone\u2019s punctuality? All of our guides, drivers, and other events arranged by IJT were punctual to a fault. True story: the driver that was to return us to the airport for our flight home was due at 1:00. He would have to navigate Tokyo traffic, find a place to park in one of Tokyo\u2019s busiest areas, and get to the 20<sup>th<\/sup> floor reception area of a large hotel. Waiting in the lobby, I had my cell phone in hand, looking at the time, just to see if for once, someone might be a couple of minutes late. The instant the clock rolled over to one-zero-zero, the elevator door opened and our driver arrived. I don\u2019t know how they do it.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12021\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12021\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12021\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R.jpg\" alt=\"Tom at his ryokan\" width=\"1170\" height=\"861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-768x565.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-1024x754.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-564x415.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-900x662.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-720x530.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-390x287.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-780x574.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/DSC_0486_R-510x375.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12021\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tom enjoying a cup of green tea at a ryokan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h1>Our favourite part?<\/h1>\n<p>Friends have asked us after our trip, \u201cWhat was the thing about Japan you enjoyed the most?\u201d By far, the answer is the remarkable kindness, politeness, and welcome we experienced from the Japanese people. Countless little interactions, smiles, discussions and encounters made us feel more comfortable, and more at home, if such a thing is possible, than in any country we have visited.\u00a0 This is not what we expected in such a \u201cforeign\u201d culture, especially one that has a history of being suspicious of outsiders.\u00a0 The temples, the castles, the geisha, the cities, the museums were tremendous. The graciousness of the Japanese people, though, vastly exceeded our most optimistic expectations\u2026 especially the delightful young school children you will encounter everywhere, dressed in crisp uniforms, impeccably behaved, and eager to practice some English.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_12032\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-12032\" style=\"width: 1170px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12032\" src=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R.jpg\" alt=\"Schoolchildren are eager to practice their English\" width=\"1170\" height=\"854\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-300x219.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-768x561.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-1024x747.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-564x412.jpg 564w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-900x657.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-720x526.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-390x285.jpg 390w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-780x569.jpg 780w, https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/IMG_1132_R-510x372.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1170px) 100vw, 1170px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-12032\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Schoolchildren are eager to practice their English<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Our trip to Japan started on a whim.\u00a0 It ended up literally changing our lives, on several levels\u2014in how we eat, how we view life, and what we learned from one of the world\u2019s oldest, most refined cultures. We will return.\u00a0 It was definitely a \u201cSuperior\u201d return on our investment.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tom and Roberta travelled on the Superior version of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/self-guided-japan-holidays\/i-grs\/golden-route\/\">Golden Route<\/a> itinerary, which stops in Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. We are extremely grateful to Tom for his wonderful blog post and photos, and thrilled to hear his excellent feedback from Japan! If you&#8217;d like to follow in their footsteps, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/about-us\/contact-us\/\">click here to get in touch<\/a> with one of our travel consultants today.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F12018\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Tom Bulloch and Roberta Howery travelled to Japan with us in May and fell in love with the country and its people. Here, Tom explains what made their trip so fantastic and give a few top tips and recommendations for other first-time travellers to Japan. Like this [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2360],"tags":[2546,2572,2743,2820,2821],"class_list":["post-12018","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travellers-tales-from-japan","tag-first-timers-japan","tag-top-tips","tag-client-stories","tag-tom-bulloch","tag-customer"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12018","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/65"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12018"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12018\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12018"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12018"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12018"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}