One of my New Year’s goals for 2016 was to travel to Asia. My previous wanderings have taken me through Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean, but I was ready for a new adventure this year.
I became fascinated with the Japanese macaque, a.k.a. snow monkey, after it was featured in a couple of commercials in 2010.
These furry-coated creatures, along with my love of eating sushi and hope of catching the cherry blossoms in bloom, prompted me to book a 10-day trip to Japan.
Arrival
I arrived at Narita Airport on April 1, jet-lagged, but filled with excitement about finally entering the land of the snow monkey. After enduring an hour-long wait to get through immigration, I collected my baggage and boarded the Narita Express train into Tokyo. Tokyo Station feels like a giant maze and can be tricky to navigate if you haven’t slept in 24 hours and can’t read Japanese (there are signs in English but not everything is labeled in the way you would expect). However, people in Japan are super friendly and eager to help a foreigner in distress, so I was able to find the exit I was searching for.
As I headed toward my hotel, I came upon this stunning canopy of sakura covering the crowds that had gathered to gaze at the blooms. I briefly forgot how tired I was and stopped to take in the sight and snap a few pictures.
Tsukiji
The next morning I was up before the sun and set out to visit Tsukiji fish market.
The inner wholesale market is not as accessible to tourists as it once was, but if you’re willing to wake up before 3am to snag one of the 120 coveted spots and then wait around for two hours, you can watch the giant tunas being auctioned off to the highest bidder. The spots had all been reserved by the time I arrived, but I dodged the swarm of trucks and trolleys in the loading area to sneak a quick peak at the action before this security guard told me that the market was closed to visitors at that time and sent me away.
The outer, tourist-friendly market consists of blocks of narrow lanes lined with specialty food shops and restaurants.
I stopped at one of the sushi counters in the market to enjoy an early morning breakfast. The sushi chef expertly prepared the nigiri with a perfect dab of wasabi layered between the rice and the fish. It was definitely the freshest-tasting fish I’ve ever had.
I walked back to my hotel, pausing along the way to appreciate these pretty petals.
Nagano
I packed up my suitcase and returned to Tokyo Station to catch the next shinkansen to Nagano. These high speed bullet trains are known for being punctual and impeccably clean. When the train reaches the last stop on the rail line and the passengers disembark, a cleaning crew has only 7 minutes to clear the car of any items that were left behind, wipe down the surfaces, and sweep the floor before the next passengers are allowed to board. When the job is finished, the crew lines up on the platform and takes a bow. It’s quite a show!
At Nagano, I transferred to the smaller Snow Monkey train (most Japanese trains have cute names related to animals, plants, or geography) toward Yudanaka. After arriving at Yudanaka station, I dragged my suitcase up the hill to Shibu Onsen, a quaint hot springs resort town. Spa-goers clomp down the cobblestone streets in wooden clog sandals and Japanese robes, traveling from one bathhouse to the next.
I reached my ryokan, Yamazakiya, and stopped to check in and drop off my luggage.
The rooms have traditional tatami mat floors with a soft futon mattress and floor-level tea table.
The owner of the inn spoke a little English and was very friendly. He thanked me for visiting Japan and kindly offered to drive me to the entrance of the snow monkey park.
Snow Monkeys
Just 1.6km of towering pine trees stood between me and the monkeys.
I hiked up the mountain, reaching the top feeling a little lightheaded from the altitude and anticipation.
Although the winter snow had melted away, the monkeys did not disappoint. They were even smaller and cuter than I had expected. I watched them for almost two hours, wrestling, grooming one another, relaxing in the onsen, and sunbathing.
After saying goodbye to the monkeys, I descended the mountain and stopped at Enza Cafe for a bowl of spicy chicken ramen.
I returned to the village thoroughly worn out from the day’s activities and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the futon.
Early the next morning , I decided to emulate the monkeys and experience the onsen for myself. I donned the yukata and headed down to one of the two baths in my inn. Bathing is an important part of Japanese culture for both relaxing and socializing. Fortunately, no one else was awake at that hour so I had the bath to myself. I could see the steam rising from the water as I cautiously lowered myself into the tub (the water is so hot you can actually boil an egg in it). The hot springs are believed to possess special healing properties, and I felt my mind and body relax as I soaked in the mineral-rich water.
Kanazawa
My next destination was Kanazawa. The most famous part of Kanazawa is Kenroku-en, a sprawling Japanese garden filled with scenic landscapes, cultivated to look beautiful in all four seasons.
Along the edge of the park is a panoramic overlook point, providing scenic views of the mountains, cherry blossoms, and city below.
Adjacent to the garden is Kanazawa Castle. While this massive white structure is beautiful in its own right, during cherry blossom season when it is surrounded by a sea of sakura, it is absolutely breathtaking.
Cherry blossom petals littered the paths along the castle grounds.
The cherry blossom trees are illuminated at night and create a beautiful reflection in the moat surrounding the castle.
Kanazawa also possesses well-preserved historical districts, so I paid a visit to the Nomura House in the samurai district and geisha teahouses in the Higashi Chaya district.
Like everywhere else in Japan, the food in Kanazawa tasted amazing. One of my favorite meals was this crab rice bowl. I love the tiny decorative bowls that the side dishes are served in.
Kyoto
My next stop was Kyoto. I was only staying there for two nights, which is not nearly enough time to see everything (there are over 1600 temples in the city), but I was able to hit most of the highlights.
The guesthouse I stayed at, Santouan, offered spectacular views of the city from the dining room.
The road leading up to the guesthouse passes by this large buddha statue on the hillside which houses a WWII memorial.
It’s not uncommon to spot geishas walking down the streets of Kyoto.
My favorite temple was Kyomizu-dera. The view standing by the three-story pagoda can’t be beat.
The temples normally close in the early evening; however, during special times of year, such as cherry blossom season, they reopen at dusk and visitors can see the trees surrounding the temple lit up at night.
Hundreds of visitors flocked to the temple’s wooden terrace to watch the sunset.
The terrace juts out over the hillside and is supported by massive wooden pillars and cross beams.
Two of my other favorites were Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavillion Temple) and Sanjusangen-do.
The famous zen rock garden at Ryoan-ji was a little underwhelming, but the beauty of the gardens surrounding the temple made up for it.
I came across a couple of Japanese cemeteries as I was visiting the temples around Kyoto and was stunned by how close together the gravestones were.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Kyoto has its own snow monkey park in Arashiyama, so of course I had to go. From the top of Arashiyama mountain you have a fabulous view of the opposite side of Kyoto from where I was staying.
Because the monkeys can be aggressive if they see food, visitors are not allowed to bring food into the park. However, there is a building where tourists can purchase apple slices or nuts to feed the monkeys through the wire openings in the windows. It’s like a reverse zoo where humans are stuck in a cage and the monkeys are free to roam around on the outside.
It wasn’t long before I had them eating right out of my hand.
The bamboo forest at the foot of the mountain is also worth exploring.
In the spring, Japan holds many outdoor festivals in the parks for people to enjoy the nice weather and have a hanami picnic under the cherry blossoms. I sampled many types of Japanese street food at these events. One of the most interesting things I tried were the takoyaki, or fried octopus balls.
Tokyo
I was feeling brave, and frugal, when I arrived back in Tokyo for the final leg of my trip so I decided to stay in a capsule hotel. The “room” is just an enclosed bed. Since I was busy sightseeing all day and only needed a place to sleep at night and shower in the morning, it sufficed.
Shibuya crossing at night was one of my favorite sights. Traffic is stopped from all directions, allowing pedestrians to flood the entire intersection.
The Harajuku shopping area is the perfect place to observe teenage culture and fashion trends.
There is an entire department store dedicated to Tamagotchis.
When I visited Meiji shrine there happened to be a wedding taking place. The bride wore a traditional white wedding kimono and headdress.
Tokyo Tower gets a bad rap for being an ugly knockoff of the Eiffel Tower, but viewed from the park with the color-coordinating Japanese Maple in the foreground, it’s not so bad.
I became obsessed with Matcha tea while in Japan. Because the tea leaf is ground into a fine powder and ingested, it provides greater health benefits than ordinary green teas. It is also used to flavor baked goods and other sweets.
The ornate Kabuki-za theater holds performances almost every day. If you don’t speak Japanese it’s hard to understand what is going on, but if you want a taste of kabuki, you can purchase a discounted single-act ticket at the box office rather than sitting through the entire play.
My trip to Japan was everything I hoped it would be and more. I know I will return to this beautiful country someday. Thank you, Japan. Arigatou gozaimasu!
Tips
- If you’re going to be traveling around the country by rail like I did, purchase a JR Pass before going. This pass, which offers significant savings, is only available to foreigners and currently is not available for purchase inside Japan.
- Google Maps is essential and allowed me to navigate with ease. Google Translate also comes in handy to convert signs or menus into English.
- When paying for goods or services, money is placed on a small tray rather than handed directly to the other person.
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