{"id":1919,"date":"2014-01-29T15:52:11","date_gmt":"2014-01-29T15:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?p=1919"},"modified":"2014-01-29T15:57:18","modified_gmt":"2014-01-29T15:57:18","slug":"10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"JapanCities\"<\/a>Japan is a country of contradictions, with a delicate balance of tradition, history, and Eastern culture combined with modern architecture, mass commercialisation, and Western affectations \u2013 which makes it one of the most complex countries in the world to visit.<\/p>\n

There is so much to see and do, so many places to visit and stay, and such a variety of foods to sample, that you may have to go for a year \u2013 if you can\u2019t spare the time, here are some of the highlights (all of which are much more enjoyable if you have a good grasp on the language of Japanese<\/a>).<\/p>\n

1. Shinjuku<\/b><\/p>\n

If you want to get an idea of the fast pace of capital city living check out this one-stop shop area in Tokyo \u2013 it\u2019s got something for everyone, apart from, perhaps, peace and quiet!<\/p>\n

This is the main business, shopping, and entertainment area of the capital, but the scene-stealing skyscrapers are worth the visit alone \u2013 not to mention, checking out Shinjuku Station, with over two million passengers a day, it\u2019s the world\u2019s busiest.<\/p>\n

You can get a great view of the city from the observation decks of the Metropolitan Government Office which are open to the public, and in a city where not much is free, you need to make the most of this occasion.<\/p>\n

2. Ginza<\/b><\/p>\n

Where Shinjuku is business and commerce, Ginza is more about arts, music, clubs, and food \u2013 and the nightlife really goes off with a bang around here.<\/p>\n

It is known as the entertainment district, but it sure ain\u2019t cheap! Just one square metre of land is valued at approximately 10 million Yen, and a cup of coffee could set you back around \u00a35.<\/p>\n

3. Asakusa <\/b><\/p>\n

Still in Tokyo, some areas of Asakusa are virtually stuck in a time warp so you can get a taste of pre-war Japan here \u2013 including theatre, the Hanayashiki Amusement Park, and some old school bars.<\/p>\n

While in the neighbourhood, there\u2019s also the Sensoji Buddhist temple, several markets, and the very scenic Sumida Park, which stretches along the river, and is the perfect place to propose come cherry blossom season!<\/p>\n

4. Kyoto<\/b><\/p>\n

The former capital of Japan, this city is the place to go to really immerse yourself in the ancient history of this complex country.<\/p>\n

With 17 World Heritage sites in its surrounds, including 2,000 temples, gardens, and shrines, its historic value was even recognised by the allies during World War II as it was spared from air raids and left off the list of atomic bomb targets.<\/p>\n

5. Osaka<\/b><\/p>\n

Kyoto and Osaka are close neighbours and show off the two sides of Japan perfectly, one rich in tradition and history, the latter embraces modernism and capitalism to the max \u2013 but more importantly, it\u2019s foodie heaven.<\/p>\n

Although there are plenty of touristy things to do in Osaka, like Universal Studios Japan, visit Kaiyukan - the world\u2019s largest aquarium - or even check out a sumo wrestling tournament, it\u2019s the dining that makes this city worth the trip.<\/p>\n

The best places for restaurants and street vendors are in the Umeda and Dotombori areas, but in a city that has the maxim kuidaore<\/i>, literally to eat yourself into ruin, there\u2019s somewhere great to eat wherever you go.<\/p>\n

6. Temple Lodgings<\/b><\/p>\n

To really experience temple life, stay the night! Many temples around the country offer overnight stays for visitors, and although the lodgings are minimal, the food is scarce, and the nightlife is non-existent, it\u2019s an experience of a lifetime \u2013 and one of the few moments of solitude in this fast-paced nation.<\/p>\n

7. Hiroshima<\/b><\/p>\n

History alone is a reason to visit this city, but the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum is a reason to visit Japan.<\/p>\n

To honour the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing, the park and museum act as reminders of the horrors of war and educate future generations on the benefits of peace.<\/p>\n

Hiroshima is also famous for its other museums, art galleries, parks, festivals, and food culture \u2013 so definitely worth adding to the agenda.<\/p>\n

8. The Bullet Train<\/b><\/p>\n

AKA the super speed express trains that make up the Shinkansen high-speed rail network that links most of the major cities.<\/p>\n

Wherever you\u2019re going in Japan, take the opportunity to ride one of these trains, reaching speeds of up to 200 mph in an almost futuristic setting, you can\u2019t help but be impressed.<\/p>\n

9. Action and Adventure<\/b><\/p>\n

Japan is not all about big cities, modern technology, and ancient history, it also has some of the best skiing, hiking, and mountain biking tracks in the world \u2013 whatever the season, there\u2019s always some activity in a gorgeous setting waiting to be done.<\/p>\n

10. Soak Your Bones<\/b><\/p>\n

And after all that activity, there\u2019s nothing better than to have a good soak in natural hot water springs \u2013 and with thousands of public baths around the country, you\u2019ll find one full of naked locals everywhere you go!<\/p>\n

So, whatever your reasons for visiting Japan, you\u2019ll leave wanting to go back, because it\u2019s like nowhere else on earth. But with such differences from Western culture, language can be quite a barrier to experiencing everything the country has to offer, so get the basics here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Have we left anything off this list? Feel free to let us know where to go in the comments section below!<\/p>\n

\"Japancities2\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Japan is a country of contradictions, with a delicate balance of tradition, history, and Eastern culture combined with modern architecture, mass commercialisation, and Western affectations \u2013 which makes it one of the most complex countries in the world to visit. There is so much to see and do, so many places to visit and stay,(\u2026)<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t \t\t\t\tCONTINUE READING »<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":1920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[236,28],"tags":[295,281,282,66,72],"class_list":["post-1919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-must-know","category-culture-travel","tag-cities","tag-japan","tag-japanese","tag-language","tag-tourist"],"yoast_head":"\n10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Listen & Learn\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-01-29T15:52:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-01-29T15:57:18+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"450\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"280\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Victoria\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Victoria\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/\",\"name\":\"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-01-29T15:52:11+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-01-29T15:57:18+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0c23babd4285f7b85ba028b23a3f370\"},\"description\":\"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png\",\"width\":450,\"height\":280},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Listen & Learn\",\"description\":\"Language Courses and Language Services UK\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0c23babd4285f7b85ba028b23a3f370\",\"name\":\"Victoria\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a400e49c4b2e91c5e5d28f264dfbb7a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a400e49c4b2e91c5e5d28f264dfbb7a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Victoria\"},\"description\":\"Victoria B-C is a self-confessed grammar geek, and uses this site for therapy. She is based in London, where she witnesses crimes against grammar on a daily basis. Words are her thing as Victoria is currently a journalist, PR advisor, and Social Media guru - these are her true stories.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/author\/victoria\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan","description":"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan","og_description":"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!","og_url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/","og_site_name":"Listen & Learn","article_published_time":"2014-01-29T15:52:11+00:00","article_modified_time":"2014-01-29T15:57:18+00:00","og_image":[{"width":450,"height":280,"url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Victoria","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Victoria","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/","url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/","name":"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png","datePublished":"2014-01-29T15:52:11+00:00","dateModified":"2014-01-29T15:57:18+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0c23babd4285f7b85ba028b23a3f370"},"description":"Japan is such a complex country, that it\u2019s impossible to do everything, so here are some top tips to get a taste of it for any first-time tourist!","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/JapanCities-e1391008776351.png","width":450,"height":280},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/10-top-stops-for-a-taste-of-japan\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10 Top Stops For A Taste Of Japan"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/","name":"Listen & Learn","description":"Language Courses and Language Services UK","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/d0c23babd4285f7b85ba028b23a3f370","name":"Victoria","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a400e49c4b2e91c5e5d28f264dfbb7a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a400e49c4b2e91c5e5d28f264dfbb7a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Victoria"},"description":"Victoria B-C is a self-confessed grammar geek, and uses this site for therapy. She is based in London, where she witnesses crimes against grammar on a daily basis. Words are her thing as Victoria is currently a journalist, PR advisor, and Social Media guru - these are her true stories.","url":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/author\/victoria\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1919"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1922,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1919\/revisions\/1922"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.listenandlearn.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}