Japan

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

Chris Rowthorn, Ray Bartlett, Andrew Bender, Laura Crawford, Craig McLachlan, Rebecca Milner, Simon Richmond, Phillip Tang, Benedict Walker,

Wendy Yanagihara

#

#^

_Kyotop288

Tokyop70

Sapporo & Hokkaidō

p561

Shikokup630Kyūshū

p673

Okinawa & theSouthwest Islands

p749

Kansaip349

The Japan Alps &Central Honshū

p206

Mt Fuji &Around Tokyop153

NorthernHonshū

(Tōhoku)p492

Hiroshima &Western Honshū

p426

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Welcome to Japan . . . . . . .6

Japan Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Japan’s Top 25 . . . . . . . . .10

Need to Know . . . . . . . . . 24

First Time Japan . . . . . . . 26

What’s New . . . . . . . . . . . 28

If You Like… . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Month by Month . . . . . . . 32

Itineraries . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Skiing in Japan . . . . . . . . 48

Travel with Children . . . . 52

Eat & Drink Like a Local . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Japan on a Budget . . . . . 59

Hiking in Japan . . . . . . . . .61

Visiting an Onsen . . . . . . 63

Regions at a Glance . . . . 66

TOKYO . . . . . . . . . . . . 70History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74Sights & Activities . . . . . . . 74Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111Tours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Festivals & Events . . . . . . 116Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122Drinking & Nightlife . . . . . 131Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 137Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140

MT FUJI & AROUND TOKYO . . . . . . . . . . . 153Fuji Five Lakes . . . . . . . 155Mt Fuji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155Fuji-Yoshida . . . . . . . . . . . . 159Kawaguchi-ko . . . . . . . . . . 160Sai-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161Shōji-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Motosu-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Yamanaka-ko . . . . . . . . . . . 162North of Tokyo . . . . . . . 163Nikkō . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163Chūzen-ji Onsen . . . . . . . . 169Yumoto Onsen . . . . . . . . . 170West & Southwest of Tokyo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Takao-san . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170Oku-Tama Region . . . . . . . .171Hakone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172Izu Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . . 178South of Tokyo . . . . . . . 189Yokohama . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189Kamakura . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196East of Tokyo . . . . . . . . . 201Narita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202Ogasawara Archipelago . . . . . . . . . . 202Chichi-jima . . . . . . . . . . . .203Haha-jima . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

THE JAPAN ALPS & CENTRAL HONSHŪ . .206Nagoya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208Around Nagoya . . . . . . . 218Greater Nagoya . . . . . . . . 218Inuyama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219Around Inuyama . . . . . . . . 221Gifu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222Gujō-Hachiman . . . . . . . . . 224Kiso Valley Nakasendō . . . . . . . . . . . 225Magome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Tsumago . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226Kiso-Fukushima . . . . . . . . 227Narai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227Hida Region . . . . . . . . . . 228Takayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228Hida-Furukawa . . . . . . . . . 235Shirakawa-gō & Gokayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Fukui Prefecture . . . . . . 239Fukui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Echizen-Ōno . . . . . . . . . . . 241Ishikawa Prefecture . . . 241Kanazawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242Kaga Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . .250Noto Peninsula . . . . . . . . . 251Toyama Prefecture . . . . 255Toyama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255Matsumoto & Around . . .257Matsumoto . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Shirahone Onsen . . . . . . . 263Hirayu Onsen . . . . . . . . . .264Fukuchi Onsen . . . . . . . . . 265Shin-Hotaka Onsen . . . . . 265Kamikōchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267Azumino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Hakuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Nagano & Around . . . . . 271Nagano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272Togakushi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276

ON THE ROAD

IAN

TR

OW

ER

/GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©

SUMIYOSHI TAISHA, OSAKA, P359

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Contents

Obuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277Nozawa Onsen . . . . . . . . . 278Shiga Kōgen . . . . . . . . . . .280Bessho Onsen . . . . . . . . . . 281Karuizawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281Gunma Prefecture . . . . 283Takasaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283Kusatsu Onsen . . . . . . . . .284Minakami & Takaragawa Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285

KYOTO . . . . . . . . . . . 288History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Sights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .320Festivals & Events . . . . . . 321Sleeping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321Eating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331Drinking & Nightlife . . . . . 339Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . 341Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342

KANSAI . . . . . . . . . . 349Osaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351Kōbe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374Himeji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380Shiga Prefecture . . . . . . 383Ōtsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383Ishiyama-dera . . . . . . . . . . 383Miho Museum . . . . . . . . . . 383Hikone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385Nagahama . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385Nara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386Around Nara . . . . . . . . . 397Temples Southwest of Nara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 397Around Yamato-Yagi . . . . .404Asuka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .405Around Sakurai . . . . . . . . .405Yoshino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .406

Kii Peninsula . . . . . . . . . 408Kōya-san . . . . . . . . . . . . . .408Tanabe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413Shirahama . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413Kushimoto, Shiono-misaki & Kii-Ōshima . . . . . . . . . . . 415Nachi & Kii-Katsuura . . . . 416Shingū . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416Hongū . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417Yunomine, Watarase & Kawa-yu Onsen . . . . . . . . . 417Ise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 418Northern Kansai . . . . . . 422Kinosaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422Takeno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424Tango Peninsula . . . . . . . . 424Amanohashidate . . . . . . . 425Maizuru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425

HIROSHIMA & WESTERN HONSHŪ . . . . . . . . . 426Hiroshima & Around . . 427Hiroshima . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427Miyajima . . . . . . . . . . . . . .438Iwakuni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441Tomo-no-ura . . . . . . . . . . .442Onomichi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .444Islands on the Shimanami Kaidō . . . . . . . 447Okayama & Around . . . 447Okayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447Bizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453Kurashiki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 453Shōdo-shima . . . . . . . . . . . 457Naoshima . . . . . . . . . . . . .460Teshima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .464Kasaoka Islands . . . . . . . .464Yamaguchi & Around . . 465Yamaguchi . . . . . . . . . . . . .465Akiyoshi-dai . . . . . . . . . . . .468Tsuwano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .469Shimonoseki . . . . . . . . . . . 472

Hagi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476Matsue & Around . . . . . 480Matsue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .480Oki Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . .484Izumo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .485Iwami Ginzan . . . . . . . . . . 487Yunotsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488Tottori & Around . . . . . . 488Tottori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .488Daisen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .490San-in Coast National Park . . . . . . . . . . 491

NORTHERN HONSHŪ (TŌHOKU) . . . . . . . . 492Niigata Prefecture . . . . 495Niigata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .495Sado-ga-shima . . . . . . . . . 497Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen . . .504Naeba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .505Myōkō Kōgen . . . . . . . . . .506Fukushima Prefecture . . 507Aizu-Wakamatsu . . . . . . . . 507Bandai Plateau . . . . . . . . . 510Kitakata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 512Yamagata Prefecture . . 513Yamagata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513Yonezawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515Zaō Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515Dewa Sanzan . . . . . . . . . . . 517Tsuruoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519Akita Prefecture . . . . . . 521Akita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521Kakunodate . . . . . . . . . . . . 525Tazawa-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . 527Nyūtō Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . 528Aomori Prefecture . . . . 529Aomori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 529Hirosaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533Towada-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536Hakkōda-san . . . . . . . . . . . 538

Shimokita Peninsula . . . . 539Iwate Prefecture . . . . . . 541Morioka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541Hiraizumi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .544Tōno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .546Sanriku Kaigan . . . . . . . 549Miyagi Prefecture . . . . . 551Sendai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552Matsushima . . . . . . . . . . . 558Ishinomaki . . . . . . . . . . . . .560

SAPPORO & HOKKAIDŌ . . . . . . . 561Sapporo . . . . . . . . . . . . . 567Southern Hokkaidō . . . 578Hakodate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578West of Hakodate . . . . . . . 582Ōnuma Regional Park . . . 582Central Hokkaidō . . . . . 583Otaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 583Niseko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .586Shikotsu-Tōya National Park . . . . . . . . . . 589Tomakomai . . . . . . . . . . . . 595Northern Hokkaidō . . . 595Asahikawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595Furano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 597Daisetsuzan National Park . . . . . . . . . .600Wakkanai . . . . . . . . . . . . . .606Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park . . . . . . . . . .608Eastern Hokkaidō . . . . . 613Abashiri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613Shari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615Shiretoko National Park . .616Akan National Park . . . . .620Kushiro Wetlands National Park . . . . . . . . . . 626Kushiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 626Tokachi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .628

SHIKOKU . . . . . . . . . 630Tokushima Prefecture . .631Tokushima . . . . . . . . . . . . . 631Around Tokushima . . . . . . 637Iya Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 641Tsurugi-san . . . . . . . . . . . .644Southern Tokushima Prefecture . . . . . . . . . . . 646Hiwasa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .646South to Muroto-misaki . . 646Kōchi Prefecture . . . . . . 647Tokushima to Kōchi . . . . .648Kōchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .648Kōchi to Ashizuri-misaki . .652Shimanto City . . . . . . . . . . 653Ashizuri-misaki . . . . . . . . .654Ehime Prefecture . . . . . 654Uwajima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .654Uwajima to Matsuyama . . 657Matsuyama . . . . . . . . . . . . 659Ishizuchi-san . . . . . . . . . . . 665Kagawa Prefecture . . . . 665Matsuyama to Takamatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 665Takamatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . .669Around Takamatsu . . . . . . 672

KYŪSHŪ . . . . . . . . . . 673Fukuoka Prefecture . . . 676Fukuoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 676Dazaifu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 687Saga Prefecture . . . . . . 688Karatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .688Imari . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .690Arita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .690Nagasaki Prefecture . . 691Nagasaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692Hirado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 704Shimabara Peninsula . . 705Unzen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 706Shimabara . . . . . . . . . . . . . 707Kumamoto Prefecture . .709Kumamoto . . . . . . . . . . . . . 709Aso-san Area . . . . . . . . . . . 714Kurokawa Onsen . . . . . . . 717Kagoshima Prefecture . . 718Kagoshima . . . . . . . . . . . . . 718Kirishima-Yaku National Park . . . . . . . . . . 727Satsuma Peninsula . . . . . 728Miyazaki Prefecture . . . 731Miyazaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731Aoshima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 735Udo-jingū . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 736Obi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 736

ON THE ROAD

MA

RT

IN R

OU

SS

EA

U/G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

MARUYAMA KŌEN, KYOTO, P303

Contents

Nichinan-kaigan & Toi-misaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737Saitobaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 737Takachiho . . . . . . . . . . . . . 738Ōita Prefecture . . . . . . . 739Beppu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 739Yufuin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 746Usuki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 747Kunisaki Peninsula . . . . . . 747

OKINAWA & THE SOUTHWEST ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . 749Kagoshima Prefecture . .752Ōsumi Islands . . . . . . . . . . 752Amami Islands . . . . . . . . . 759

Okinawa Prefecture . .766Okinawa-hontō . . . . . . 766Islands near Okinawa-hontō . . . . . . 774Miyako Islands . . . . . . . 776Yaeyama Islands . . . . . 780

Japan Today . . . . . . . . . . 792

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 794

The People of Japan . . . 811

Japanese Cuisine . . . . . .816

Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 830

Architecture . . . . . . . . . 839

Traditional Japanese Accommodation . . . . . . 843

Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 846

Living Art of the Geisha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 848

Environment . . . . . . . . . 850

Directory A–Z . . . . . . . . 856

Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . 867

Language . . . . . . . . . . . . 879

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 889

Map Legend . . . . . . . . . . 902

UNDERSTAND

SPECIAL FEATURES

Off the Beaten Track . . . .46

Onsen Etiquette . . . . . . . .64

Skiing in Japan Map . . . .50

3D Tokyo National Museum Illustration . . .100

3D Tōdai-ji Illustration . . . . . . . . . . . 390

Restaurant Types & Sample Menus . . . . . . . . 817

Honshū Blossom & Foliage Seasons . . . . . . . 851

SURVIVAL GUIDE

PE

TE

R A

DA

MS

/GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©

STALLHOLDER GRILLING FISH, KYOTO, P288

MUSEUM GARDEN

Don’t miss the garden if you visit during the few weeks it’s open to the public in spring and autumn.

GIFT SHOP

The museum gift shop, on the 1st oor of the Honkan, has an excellent collection of Japanese art books in English.

Heiseikan & Japanese Archaeology Gallery

Research & Information Centre Museum Garden &

Teahouses

Honkan (Main Gallery)

Tōyōkan (Gallery of Eastern

Antiquities)Main Gate

Kuro-mon

Hyōkeikan

Honkan (Main Gallery)

1st Floor

Honkan (Main Gallery)

2nd Floor

8

Ukiyo-e & Kimono (Room 10)Chic silken kimono and lushly coloured ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) are two icons of the Edo era (AD 1603–1868) ukiyo – the ‘ oating world’, or world of eeting beauty and pleasure.

Art of the Imperial Court (Room 3-2)

Literature works, calligraphy and narrative picture scrolls are displayed alongside decorative art objects, which allude to the life of elegance led

by courtesans a thousand years ago.

Samurai Armour & Swords (Rooms 5 & 6)Glistening swords, nely stitched armour and imposing helmets bring to life the samurai, those iconic warriors of Japan’s medieval age.

Gallery of Hōryū-ji TreasuresSurround yourself with miniature gilt Buddhas from Hōryū-ji, said to be one of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples, founded in 607. Don’t miss the graceful Pitcher with Dragon Head, a National Treasure.

Folk Culture (Room 15)See artefacts from Japan’s historical minorities – the indigenous Ainu of Hokkaidō, the Kirishitan (persecuted Christians of the middle ages) and the former Ryūkyū Empire, now Okinawa.

Dawn of Japanese Art (Room 1)The rise of the Imperial court and the introduction of Buddhism changed the Japanese aesthetic forever. These clay works from previous eras show what came before.

Japanese Sculpture (Room 11)Many of Japan’s most famous sculptures, religious in nature, are locked away in temple reliquaries. This is a rare chance to see them up close.

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

REB

ECC

A M

ILNER

©

H

MUSEUM GARDEN

Don’t miss the garden if you visit during the few weeks it’s open to the public in spring and autumn.

National Treasure Gallery (Room 2)A single, superlative work from the museum’s

collection of 87 National Treasures (perhaps a painted screen, or a gilded, hand-drawn sutra) is

displayed in a serene, contemplative setting.

7

1 3

4

5

6

Litepicture scrart objects

n

666666666

((

p& J& J& Jkk &eiseikan & Japanese yyyyyyyyyyyy y roo ghhrchaeology Gallery

2

Tokyo National MuseumHISTORIC HIGHLIGHTSIt would be a challenge to take in everything the sprawling Tokyo National Museum has to offer in a day. Fortunately, the Honkan (Main Gallery) is designed to give visitors a crash course in Japanese art history from the Jōmon era (13,000–300 BC) to the Edo era (AD 1603–1868). The works on display here are rotated regularly, to protect fragile ones and to create seasonal exhibitions – you’re always guaranteed to see something new.

Buy your ticket from outside the main gate then head straight to the Honkan with its sloping tile roof. Stow your coat in a locker and take the central staircase up to the 2nd floor, where the exhibitions are arranged chronologically. Allow two hours for this tour of the highlights.

The first room on your right starts from the beginning with ancient Japanese art 1. Be sure to pick up a copy of the brochure Highlights of Japanese Art at the entrance.

Continue to the National TreasureGallery 2. ‘National Treasure’ is the highest distinction awarded to a work of art in Japan. Keep an eye out for more National Treasures, labelled in red, on display in other rooms throughout the museum.

Moving on, stop to admire the art of the Imperial court 3, the samurai armour and swords 4 and the ukiyo-e and kimono 5.

Next, take the stairs down to the 1st floor, where each room is dedicated to a different craft, such as lacquerware or ceramics. Don’t miss the excellent examples of religious sculpture 6 and folk art 7.

Finish your visit with a look inside the enchanting Gallery of Hōryū-ji Treasures 8.

Plan Your Trip

FRA

NK

DE

IM/ G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

#_

RMt Fuji(3776m)

TOKYO

Kamakura

Nikkō

R

#_

É

ÉÉ

É

ÉÉ

#•

#•

Itineraries

Tokyo, Mt Fuji & Around

With air connections to most of the world, as well as some of the world’s best restaurants, shops and nightlife, Tokyo makes a great introduction to Japan. And you don’t have to travel far outside the city to see some of Japan’s great natural and traditional wonders.

To make the most of your stay in Tokyo, try to base yourself in an area that’s inter-esting and also well served by transport connections, such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Roppongi or Marunouchi (Tokyo Station area). In any of these places, you

can walk to a huge variety of restaurants and shops, and train/subway stations are always nearby. Of course, it’s also perfectly possible to stay in slightly less convenient but cheaper areas like Asakusa or Ueno.

On your first morning in town, visit Tsukiji Market – if you’re jetlagged and up early anyway, make the best of it with a market tour. After the obligatory sushi breakfast, head up to Asakusa to visit the temple of Sensō-ji, then over to nearby Ueno for the Tokyo National Museum. The next day, take the loop line to Harajuku and walk to Meiji-jingū, the city’s finest

1 WEEK

36

Tokyo Tower (p83)

Shintō shrine, then take a stroll down chic Omote-sandō. From there, head to Shibuya to soak up some of modern Tokyo. Make sure you spend an evening wandering east Shinjuku, where you’ll get the full experience of Tokyo’s neon madness. Other urban areas to check out include Ginza for high-end shopping, Akihabara for elec-tronics and geek culture, and Roppongi for international nightlife.

Break up your time in Tokyo with day trips to nearby attractions. The temples and shrines at Nikkō are among the most

spectacular in Japan. For a taste of old Japan, a day poking among the Zen tem-ples at Kamakura is a brilliant way to escape the crowds of the capital. Finally, it would be a shame to come all the way to Japan and not see Mt Fuji. You can get to the base of the mountain and back in a day from Tokyo, but climbing it will in-volve spending the night on the mountain. Either way, we recommend checking the weather first – the mountain is covered by clouds much of the year, so try to wait for a break in the weather to make the trip.

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

37

#

#

#

#

#

•

•

•

_

•

R

Takayama

Kanazawa

Kyoto

TOKYOHonshū

NotoPeninsula

Mt Fuji(3776m)

#•

#•

Shirakawa-gō

Tateyama-KurobeAlpine Route

Nagoya

Kamikōchi#•

Gokayama

Shin-Hotaka Onsen

É

É

É

É

ÉÉ

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

#_

#•

#•

#•

#•

#_

#•

Northern Japan Alps

IzuPeninsula

Ō-shima

#•#•

É

É

38

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

The Tokyo–Japan Alps–Kyoto route is the classic Japan itinerary and the best way to get a quick taste of the country. You’ll experience three faces of Japan: the modern wonders of Tokyo, the traditional culture of Kyoto and the natural beauty of the Japan Alps.

While you can do this itinerary in any season, keep in mind that the Japan Alps can be snow covered any time from early November to late March – this rules out hiking unless you’re an experienced winter mountaineer – but you can visit the attractive cities of Takayama and Kanazawa any time of year.

Let’s assume that you’ll fly into Tokyo, where you can spend a few days experiencing the best that the capital has to offer. Don’t worry about skipping some of the city’s traditional sights, because you’ll be heading to Kyoto, and you’ll get your fill of shrines and temples there.

From Tokyo, take the shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya then an express to Takay-ama. Spend a day here checking out the re-stored Sanmachi-suji, then head into the Japan Alps via Kamikōchi or nearby Shin-Hotaka Onsen. Return to Takayama and rent a car so you can visit the thatched-roof villages of Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama. From there, if you feel like some more alpine scenery, drive northeast and head back into the Japan Alps via the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route (the drive is open from late spring to early autumn). Next, travel to Kanazawa (some rental agen-cies will allow you to drop the car in Kanazawa, otherwise, you can also go from Takayama to Kanazawa by bus with a stop in Shirakawa-gō en route). In Kanazawa, check out the famous garden of Kenroku-en, the 21st Century Mu-seum of Contemporary Art and the Nagamachi district.

From Kanazawa, there are several daily express trains that will get you to Kyoto in a little over two hours. In Kyoto, take some time to visit the sights (including 17 Unesco World Heritage Sites, and literally hundreds of temples and shrines), then jump on the shinkansen and get yourself back to Tokyo in time for your flight home.

10 DAYS

Tokyo, the Japan Alps & Kyoto

WA

N R

U C

HE

N / G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

DA

J / GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©

Top: Shirakawa-gō (p236) Bottom: Kenroku-en (p242), Kanazawa

39PLAN

YOUR TRIP It

Ine

ra

rIe

s

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

While many people fly into Tokyo and base themselves there, Kansai, which is home to the ancient capital of Kyoto, is an equally appealing place to stay, especially if you’re a fan of traditional culture. And with a Japan Rail Pass, you can easily head west to see Hiroshima, Miyajima and Naoshima.

Served by Kansai International Airport, which has connections to many parts of the world, Kyoto is the obvious place to stay: it’s roughly in the middle of Kansai and it’s got a wide range of accommodation, not to mention the nation’s finest temples, gardens and shrines. Spend a day exploring the Higashiyama area (both southern and northern), followed by another day strolling the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Then, hop on a train for a day trip to Nara to see the sights of Nara-kōen including Tōdai-ji, with its enormous Buddha figure.

If you want to see a modern Japanese metropolis in high gear, Osaka is only about 30 minutes by train from Kyoto. You can easily explore the city, grab some dinner and a drink and make it back to Kyoto before the trains stop running.

For those with a spiritual bent, a trip to the mountain-top Buddhist retreat of Kōya-san is highly recommended. Spend the night in one of the temple lodgings there before returning to Kyoto. More adventurous travellers will also want to check out Japan’s ancient pilgrimage route, the Kumano Kodō in southern Kansai.

Kyoto also makes a good base for explor-ing some of the important sights in Western Honshū and the Inland Sea. Hiroshima can be visited as a day trip from Kyoto if you use the shinkansen and get an early start. However, it’s more relaxing to spend the night in nearby Miyajima, home of the iconic ‘floating’ torii (Shintō shrine gate) of Itsukushima-jinja. Art lovers might also consider stopping for a night or two at Naoshima, the island-turned-art museum in the Inland Sea.

Finally, if all this toing and froing makes you tired, finish off your Kansai adventure with an overnight trip up to Kinosaki, where you can soak away your cares in some of Japan’s best hot springs.

2 WEEKS Kansai & Points West

Top: Kangen-sai, a Shintō ritual at Itsukushima-jinja (p438), Miyajima

Bottom: Woman in geisha costume, Gion (p303), Kyoto

KE

RE

N S

U / G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

DA

N H

ER

RIC

K / G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

40

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

#

#

##

•

•

••

NaraHiroshima

Kyoto

Osaka

Shikoku

Honshū

#•Kinosaki

#•

#•

Miyajima

Naoshima

Kōya-san

Kumano Kodō

#•

#•

#•#•

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

ÉÉÉ

É

#•

#•

41

S E A O FO K H OT S K

Wakkanai

RUSSIA

#•

#•

#•

Furano

Sōya-misaki

DaisetsuzanNational Park

ShiretokoNational Park

Asahidake Onsen

É

ÉRebun-tōRishiri-tō

AkanNational

Park

Shikotsu-TōyaNational Park

#•

#•

#•

#÷

#÷

#÷

Asahikawa

Biei

Otaru

Sapporo

Nibutani

Hokkaidō

#•

Ikeda

#÷KushiroWetlandsNationalPark

#•Abashiri

#•

#•Niseko

#•

#•

#•

#÷

#•

É

ÉÉ

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

É

42

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

Step off the Tokyo–Kyoto tourist trail and head to Hokkaidō, Japan’s northernmost major island. It’s like a different Japan, with 20% of the country’s land area, but only 5% of its population. There are magnificent national parks, mountains, lakes and onsen – plus the Ainu, Hokkaidō’s indigenous people. We recommend a road trip...

Cheap tickets on budget airlines make flying to Hokkaidō a great option. Fly into the island’s gateway, New Chitose Airport, pick up a rental car with an English-speaking navigation system (surprisingly good value!) and hit the road. Hokkaidō is doable by train, but there aren’t a lot of lines and if you’re into the outdoors, it’s difficult to get where you want to be by train.

Head to Sapporo for your first few days, to settle in. The prefectural capital, with 1.9 mil-lion people, is Japan’s fifth largest city and full of action, including the legendary Snow Festival in February. When it’s time to hit the road, set your sights on the lavender fields and gourmet attractions of Furano and Biei. If you like the mountains, head up to Asahidake Onsen and hike in Daisetsuzan National Park.

After a stop in Asahikawa to taste Otokoy-ama sake, head up to Wakkanai, where Russian-language street signs may surprise you. Rishiri-tō and Rebun-tō are a must for outdoorsy types. Head out there by ferry, either with or without your car. Back on the mainland, round Sōya-misaki, Japan’s northernmost point, and drive down the desolate Okhotsk sea coast to Abashiri for a blue beer at Abashiri Beer.

After hiking and soaking in onsen at World Heritage–listed Shiretoko National Park, head southwest to Akan National Park and its hiking, Ainu and onsen hotspots. Check out the red-crested cranes at Kushiro Wetlands National Park, then drive to the wine and gourmet area around Ikeda.

For more Ainu experiences, drop into Nibu-tani before doing the rounds of Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, including the caldera lakes of Shikotsu-ko and Tōya-ko, and a soak in Nobo-ribetsu Onsen. After some action at Niseko (skiing, hiking or biking, depending on the sea-son), head to romantic Otaru for some seafood before driving back to cosmopolitan Sapporo.

3 WEEKS The Wilds of Hokkaidō

BY A

LAN

TSA

I / GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©K

ER

EN

SU

/ GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©

Top: Otaru (p583) Bottom: Flower farm, Furano (p597)

43PLAN

YOUR TRIP It

Ine

ra

rIe

s

Relatively few tourists make the journey southwest to the islands of Kyūshū and Shikoku, which is a shame, as these two islands are home to some of the country’s most beautiful scenery, welcoming people and delicious food. Southern Kyūshū is also a particularly good option for escaping the bitter cold of winter.

While there are some international flights to Fukuoka in Kyūshū, it’s likely that you’ll ap-proach this area from Kansai or Tokyo. Take a shinkansen to the city of Okayama in Western Honshū. Here, catch a special Nampū express train across the Inland Sea down into the mountainous heart of Shikoku and spend a night or two in one of the thatched-roof cot-tages in Iya Valley (note that it’s also possible to drive here, which will give you more freedom to explore the area). From the valley, you can head south to do some surfing at Ohkihama or west to climb Ishizuchi-san. Finally, take a dip in the wonderful Dōgo Onsen in the castle town of Matsuyama.

From Matsuyama you can recross the Inland Sea and join the Sanyō Shinkansen line that will take you southwest to the island of Kyūshū (consider a stop at Hiroshima en route). Your first stop in Kyūshū should be Fukuoka, Kyūshū’s largest city, which is crammed with spirited dining and nightlife in the lanes of Tenjin and Daimyō. From here, you can head southeast to the hot spring resort of Beppu or southwest to Nagasaki. While Nagasaki is best known to Westerners for its tragic history, most visitors are surprised to find a vibrant city with great food and lots of opportunities to learn about Japan’s early contacts with the West.

From either Beppu or Nagasaki, head south, possibly stopping en route at the semiactive volcano of Aso-san, then make your way to Kagoshima, a city with a laid-back, almost tropical, vibe. Sengan-en garden and Sakura-jima volcano are must-sees, before going south for a sand bath in the seaside town of Ibusuki.

Finally, if you have time and enjoy hiking, take a ferry from Kagoshima to the island of Yakushima for some walks and onsen before making your way north and homeward.

2 WEEKS Kyūshū & Shikoku

Top: Umi Jigoku (p741), Beppu Bottom: Hakata rāmen (noodles in soup),

Fukuoka (p676)

MA

RIS

A V

EGA

PH

OTO

GR

AP

HE

R / G

ET

TY IM

AG

ES ©

HIR

OS

HI U

ZU

/ GE

TT

Y IMA

GES

©

44

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

PLAN YO

UR TRIP ItIn

er

ar

Ies

#

#

#

#

•

•

•

•

R

Shikoku

Honshū

Kyūshū

PAC IF ICOCEAN

Iya Valley

Beppu

Kagoshima

Nagasaki

Matsuyama

SOUTH KOREA

Ibusuki

Yakushima

#f

É

É

Fukuoka

Ohkihama

É

É

ÉÉÉ

Aso-san

Ishizuchi-san(1982m)

#•

#•

#•

#•

R

É

É

É

É

É

#•

#•

R

#•

#•

#•

45

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

# #

#

#

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

#

##

•

•

••

•

_

•

•

••

_

•

•

•

•

• •

•

•

•

•

•

••

•

•

•

•

•

••

•

•

•

•

•

•

••

R

Kyūshū

Shikoku

Yakushima

Tsu-shima

SOUTHKOREA

NORTHKOREA

CHINA

Aso-san(1592m)

Jixi

Tōnghuà

Hagi Nara

Himeji

Izumo

Hamada

Usuki

Mǔdānjiāng

Jílín

Dāndōng

Yánjí

Sìpíng

Liáoyán

Hēilóngjiāng

Jìngpò Hú

Shimonoseki

Oita

Kumamoto

Fukui

Kōbe

Hiroshima

Nagasaki

Fukuoka

KyotoOsaka

Wakayama

Miyazaki

Matsuyama Kōchi

Tokushima

Chángchūn

Hā'ěrbīn

Vladivostok

Okayama

Matsue Tottori

Kagoshima

PYONGYANG

SEOUL

OKIISLANDS

IYAVALLEY

KUMANOKODŌ

#•

Off the Beaten Track: Japan

#

##

# #

#

##

#

#

#

_

••

• •

•

••

•

•

•TAIWAN

CHINA

Okinawa-hontō

TanegashimaYakushima

KyūshūAmakusa

Islands

TokaraIslands

YaeyamaIslands

MiyakoIslands

AmamiIslands

P A C I F I CO C E A N

East ChinaSea

Amami

Hirara

Ishigaki

Nago

Níngbō

Okinawa City

Pǔtuóshān

Shànghăi

Kagoshima

NahaTAIPEI

#•

YONAGUNI-JIMA

#•

IRIOMOTE-JIMA

#•

See Inset

0 400 km0 200 miles

A few hours and a world away from the big cities of Kansai, Iya Valley has been called the ‘Shangri La of Japan’. Stay in a restored thatched-roof farmhouse and get a taste of traditional village life. (p641)

IYA VALLEY

On really clear days you can see Taiwan from Yonaguni-jima, Japan’s westernmost inhabited island. Divers come here to swim with hammerhead sharks and explore the mysterious ‘Atlantis of the Pacific’ ruins. (p789)

YONAGUNI-JIMA

Once a place of exile, these cliff-lined islands offer some spectacular scenery and a real feeling of getting away from it all. Very few foreigners ever make it here. (p484)

OKI ISLANDSTrek through the mountains of southern Kansai to reach three of the country’s most sacred Shintō shrines on this ancient pilgrimage route. (p414)

KUMANO KODŌ

Fringed by healthy coral reefs and covered with dense tropical jungle, the island of Iriomote-jima is one of Japan’s wildest places. (p786)

IRIOMOTE-JIMA

46

PLAN YO

UR TRIP OFF t

He B

ea

te

n t

ra

CK

#

#

#

#

#

##

# #

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

#

##

#

#

#

#

#

#

•

•

•

•

•

••

• •

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

_

•

•

•

•

•

••

•

•

•

•

•

•

R

##

#

#

#

÷÷

÷

÷

÷

Honshū

Hokkaidō

RUSSIA

RUSSIA

Okushiri-tō

Mt Fuji(3776m)

Kakunodate

Biei

Hachinohe

Nikkō

Obihiro

Shinjō

Oshu

Takikawa

Abashiri

Ise

Sakata

Kushiro

Tsuruoka

Otaru

Hakodate

Gifu

Kanazawa

Tsu Shizuoka

Toyama

MaebashiMito

Yokohama

Utsunomiya

Kōfu

Akita

Aomori

Fukushima

Morioka

Yamagata

Nagoya

Nagano

Sapporo

Sendai

ChibaUrawa

Niigata

TOKYO

Towada-Hachimantai

National Park

Shikotsu-tōyaNational Park

AkanNationalPark

DaisetsuzanNational

Park

NotoPeninsula

P A C I F I CO C E A N

Sea ofJapan

Sea ofOkhotsk

SADO-GA-SHIMA

SHIRETOKONATIONAL PARK

RISHIRI-TŌ &REBUN-TŌ

0 500 km0 250 miles#e

D

Ogasawara Archipelago(500km)

Almost as far north as you can go in Japan, these two islands burst into riotous blooms of wildflowers each year from May to August. They’re a true delight for hikers and photographers. (p608 & p611)

RISHIRI-TŌ & REBUN-TŌ

A wild outpost of rugged mountains and coastline, each August this island rocks to the sound of the famous Kodō Drummers during the fabulous Earth Celebration. (p497)

SADO-GA-SHIMA

With no sealed roads and a healthy population of brown bears, Shiretoko earns the title of Japan’s last true wilderness. The rewards for tackling the tough trails here are long soaks in plentiful hot springs. (p616)

SHIRETOKONATIONAL PARK

This is as far off the beaten track as you can get in Japan. A full 25½-hour ferry ride from Tokyo, these semitropical islands – complete with whales, sharks and dolphins – feel like a different world. (p202)

OGASAWARAARCHIPELAGO

47PLAN

YOUR TRIP O

FF tH

e Be

at

en

tr

aC

K

Craig McLachlanSapporo & Hokkaidō Craig has walked the length of Japan (3200km in 99 days!), climbed Japan’s 100 Famous Mountains, hiked the 88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku and scaled all of Japan’s 3000m peaks. Books on his exploits have been published in English and Japanese and he has co- authored multiple editions of Lonely Planet’s Hiking in Japan and Japan guidebooks. A ‘freelance anything’, Craig has an MBA and is also a pilot,

karate instructor, tour leader, hiking guide, Japanese interpreter and budding novelist. See www.craigmclachlan.com.

Rebecca MilnerTokyo Rebecca came to Tokyo for ‘just one year’ in 2002 and still hasn’t been able to tear herself away. She’s lived west of Shinjuku and east of the Sumida and now shares an apartment in Shibuya (the quiet part) with her husband and cat. Her writing has appeared in the Guardian, Japan Times, CNN Travel and BBC Travel and Lonely Planet guides to Japan.

Simon RichmondMt Fuji & Around Tokyo Travel writer, photographer and videographer Simon Richmond won travel guidebook of the year for his first co-authored guidebook on Japan published in 1999. He’s also written guides to Tokyo (where he lived and worked for several years as a journalist and editor in the early 1990s) and books on anime and manga. He’s been an author with Lonely Planet since 1999, working on many titles for the company and

features for its website. Read more about his travels at www.simonrichmond.com and on Twitter and Instagram @simonrichmond.

Phillip TangYamaguchi & Around, Matsue & Around, Tottori & Around Phillip has been visiting Japan since 2004 and doesn’t think it strange to pop in mainly for the matcha, pockets of serenity and ¥100 stores. He grew up in Australia, then London and Mexico, and now finds being internationally homeless useful for writing Lonely Planet guides to Mexico, China and Korea. Check out his website philliptang.co.uk and the photos he Instagrammed for this

trip @mrtangtangtang.

Benedict WalkerThe Japan Alps & Central Honshū, Northern Honshū (Tōhoku) Currently hanging by the beach near his mum, in hometown Newcastle, Ben’s plan of ‘livin’ the dream’, spending his days between his three great loves, Australia, North America and Japan, seems to be coming to fruition: it’s not greedy – it’s just sharing the love! This is the third time he’s written for Lonely Planet’s

Japan guidebook, which he first received as a 12th birthday gift. Passionate about (almost) all things Japanese, Ben speaks the lingo pretty well: he’s convinced he was a monk in a past life. Ben has also co-written Lonely Planet’s Canada, Florida and Australia guidebooks, written and directed a play, toured Australia managing travel for rockstars and is an avid photographer toying with his original craft of film-making. He’s an advocate of following your dreams – they can come true. For updates, see www.wordsandjourneys.com.

Wendy YanagiharaShikoku, Okinawa & the Southwest Islands As the daughter of an Issei (first-generation Japanese-American) in California, Wendy grew up summering in Japan with her mother. But it wasn’t until two years ago that she had the pleasure of exploring the 88-temple pilgrimage, the diversity of Ryukyuan dialects and an affinity for jiimami-dōfu. Previously, she has

worked on several editions of the Japan and Tokyo guidebooks, among the 20+ guidebooks on which she has worked for Lonely Planet.

Read more about Craig at: http://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/craigmclachlan

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

Chris RowthornCoordinating Author, Kyoto Chris has been based in Kyoto since 1992. He be-came a regional correspondent for the Japan Times in 1995 and joined Lonely Planet in 1996. He’s worked on Lonely Planet’s Japan, Kyoto, Hiking in Japan and Tokyo guidebooks. He speaks and reads Japanese fluently and has appeared on local TV to introduce secret temples in Kyoto. Chris’s wife is from Kyoto’s Arashiyama district and his two children are proudly multicultural. Chris runs

Chris Rowthorn Tours (www.chrisrowthorn.com), which offers private tours and consulting about Kyoto and the rest of Japan. He also curates www.insidekyoto.com, his personal blog about the city of Kyoto.

Ray BartlettKyūshū Ray arrived in Kagoshima in 1993 and in many ways never left: it’s now a second home. While hailing from Japan’s ‘most southern mainland prefecture’ he’s proudly crisscrossed Kyūshū so many times he’s lost count. His hobbies include onsen baths, surfing and hiking, all of which he enjoyed while research-ing this edition of Japan. For more info or to contact Ray, visit www.Kaisora.com or check out his onsen suggestions at www.OnsenJapan.net. He divides his time

between Japan, Mexico and the USA.

Andrew BenderKansai France was closed, so after college Andrew left his native New England for a job in Japan. It was a life-changing experience, as visits to Japan often are. He’s since mastered chopsticks, the language, karaoke and shoe etiquette. Now based in Los Angeles, he writes about Japan for the Los Angeles Times, inflight magazines and about a dozen Lonely Planet titles, as well as the Seat 1A travel blog for Forbes. He also does cross-cultural consulting for Japanese businesses

and escorts visitors around Japan. His website is www.wheres-andy-now.com.

Laura CrawfordHiroshima & Around, Okayama & Around Laura first discovered Japan as an undergraduate studying Japanese in Kansai. She later travelled up and down the country, set up home in Osaka for two years, wrote a thesis on Japanese English, and eventually landed a job as an editor at Lonely Planet’s Melbourne branch. She now works as a Destination Editor in London, but was kindly let out of the office to go on the road again in Japan. She tweets @crawfplanet.

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Franklin, London, Melbourne, Oakland, Beijing and Delhi, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 983

14th edition – Sep 2015ISBN 978 1 74321 674 3© Lonely Planet 2015 Photographs © as indicated 201510 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1Printed in ChinaAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.

Read more about Laura at: http://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/crawfplanet

Read more about Ray at: http://auth.lonelyplanet.com/profiles/kaisora

OVERPAGE

MORE WRITERS

©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

© Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. To make it easier for you to use, access to this chapter is not digitally restricted. In return, we think it’s fair to ask you to use it for personal, non-commercial purposes only. In other words, please don’t upload this chapter to a peer-to-peer site, mass email it to everyone you know, or resell it. See the terms and conditions on our site for a longer way of saying the above - ‘Do the right thing with our content.’