Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [9]
See romantic Otaru, an easy day trip out of Sapporo, then head north to Wakkanai. Take the ferry to Rebun-tō and check it out for a day, maybe two if you’re planning on serious hiking. On the return, see Sōya-misaki, Japan’s northernmost point. Sip Otokoyama sake in Asahikawa; from there jump to Asahidake Onsen, and hike around Daisetsuzan National Park for a day or two, possibly doing a day trip to the lavender fields of Furano or Biei.
Head to Abashiri. Rent a car there or in Shari if you’re planning on going to Shiretoko National Park. Do the entire eastern part of the island by car. Not including hiking or other stops this will take one night and two days. Check out Nemuro and return your four-wheeled steed in Kushiro.
Watch cranes, deer and other wildlife in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, zip up to Akan National Park to see Mashū-ko, the most beautiful lake in Japan, and then toodle back towards Sapporo.
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KANSAI IN DEPTH
One to Two Weeks / Kansai
This route, which involves between four and 12 hours of travel time, is the perfect way to pack a lot of traditional sights into a short trip without feeling rushed.
Kansai contains the thickest concentration of must-see sights in all of Japan. If you want to see a lot of traditional Japanese sights without spending a lot of time in transit, then spending your entire trip in Kansai is a great idea.
Kyoto is the obvious place to base yourself; it’s central and it’s got a wide range of excellent accommodation, not to mention the nation’s finest temples, gardens and shrines. Spend a day exploring the Higashiyama Area, followed by another day strolling through 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. Another day trip to see Ise-jingū, in the town of Ise, is highly recommended – the ride is quite scenic and the shrine is awe-inspiring.
If you’ve got the urge to see the modern side of Japan, Osaka is only about 30 minutes by train from Kyoto, and you can combine it with a trip west to see the fantastic castle in Himeji. Finally, if you really want to wind down and relax, an overnight trip up to the onsen town of Kinosaki is the perfect way to round off your Kansai experience.
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TAILORED TRIPS
FOOD-LOVER’S PARADISE
Japan is a food-lover’s paradise and the cuisine runs the gamut from simple soba (buckwheat) noodles to multicourse kaiseki (haute-cuisine) banquets.
Start in Tokyo and make an early-morning pilgrimage to wander the expanse of Tsukiji Fish Market, the world’s largest fish market. After taking in the sights and scents of the market, head to one of the nearby sushi restaurants to sample the freshest, and surely tastiest, sushi on earth. Kyoto is the place to sample kaiseki. The fresh and seasonal food is superb and the setting is perfect: traditional buildings with lovely gardens to gaze over while you eat. Rough-and-ready locals in Osaka are known for their big appetites and it’s hardly surprising that the city’s speciality is okonomiyaki, savoury pancakes that you cook yourself on a griddle in front of you. The Inland Sea is known for its delectable oysters, and Hiroshima is the place to try them; kaki-furai (batter-fried) is just one of the many ways to savour them. Also try Hiroshima-yaki, the local version of okonomiyaki. Kyūshū is the closest of Japan’s major islands to China, which may explain why it’s Japan’s rāmen (egg noodle) mecca. You’ll find an incredible variety here, but the locals swear by tonkotsu rāmen (noodles in pork-bone broth).
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TRADITIONAL CULTURE
A route built around Japan’s sublime cultural attractions