Main Gallery
As soon as I arrived I found out that my first destination, Yakushima island, had just gotten 20cm of rain per hour for a few hours; ferries cancelled, military called in, evacuations, etc. I had to change my route so I took a bus straight up to Fukuoka and reversed the order of my Kyushu section of the trip. But due to a few timing considerations I had to skip some things that I otherwise would have seen. After successfully going to Yakushima two weeks later I went to the Kansai area to get a few photos that I wanted to get. In hindsight I should have spent the rest of my time in Kyushu to make sure that I saw it fully (or as much as possible in only 4 weeks).
My advice is that everyone should go to Japan as it is a perfect travel destination; it’s safe, clean (despite a distinct lack of garbage cans), and has very efficient transportation systems. There are modern cities full of neon lights, ancient temples in peaceful settings, castles perched on hillsides, great food, and cultural experiences around every corner. My Japanese isn’t great but getting around wasn’t difficult. The language barrier prevents a complete experience as it’s hard to chat with the locals, which is why it was nice when Chisato arrived and I was able to have conversations with her friends and family. The principle of providing great customer service is alive and well (which seems to be falling with the wayside in North America), and the pursuit of perfection in even simple tasks makes everything smooth and function perfectly.
Be aware though, if you go to the touristy places they may be overrun; if you’re in a place like Kyoto I’d recommend going to sites very early or late in the day. But I suppose the positive side of this would be that it might make you want to get off the tourist trail, head into the countryside, and have some great experiences.
Highlights:
Chatting with Chisato’s friends while drinking local sake in Yamatokoriyama
The Nio guardian statues at Todaiji temple in Nara
Shiratani Unsuiko trail on Yakushima island
Himeji Castle (without scaffolding this time)
Nagasaki night view from Mt. Inasa
Tour of ancient tombs in Asuka
Wandering around grocery stores
Randomly finding a bunch of fireflies in Nara
Okonomiyaki, tonkotsu ramen, and cheap sushi
.
.
Read MoreMy advice is that everyone should go to Japan as it is a perfect travel destination; it’s safe, clean (despite a distinct lack of garbage cans), and has very efficient transportation systems. There are modern cities full of neon lights, ancient temples in peaceful settings, castles perched on hillsides, great food, and cultural experiences around every corner. My Japanese isn’t great but getting around wasn’t difficult. The language barrier prevents a complete experience as it’s hard to chat with the locals, which is why it was nice when Chisato arrived and I was able to have conversations with her friends and family. The principle of providing great customer service is alive and well (which seems to be falling with the wayside in North America), and the pursuit of perfection in even simple tasks makes everything smooth and function perfectly.
Be aware though, if you go to the touristy places they may be overrun; if you’re in a place like Kyoto I’d recommend going to sites very early or late in the day. But I suppose the positive side of this would be that it might make you want to get off the tourist trail, head into the countryside, and have some great experiences.
Highlights:
Chatting with Chisato’s friends while drinking local sake in Yamatokoriyama
The Nio guardian statues at Todaiji temple in Nara
Shiratani Unsuiko trail on Yakushima island
Himeji Castle (without scaffolding this time)
Nagasaki night view from Mt. Inasa
Tour of ancient tombs in Asuka
Wandering around grocery stores
Randomly finding a bunch of fireflies in Nara
Okonomiyaki, tonkotsu ramen, and cheap sushi
.
.
