How to spend a month in Japan.

Things to know before traveling:

• Best time to travel to Japan depends on what you want to see. Early spring is a very popular experience the short lived cherry blossom season and probably the best season but crowds are prices are higher. Japan receives four distinct seasons although it will differ depending on the region. Winter will be freezing and snowy in the north whereas down further south in Okinawa and the southern islands, the weather remains warm all year round. June to October is typhoon season and also rainy season hits during these months. Japan’s summers are be stiflingly hot and humid. Either spring or autumn are best in my opinion or winter, between Dec- Mar, if you are going for skiing in the Japanese Alps.
• Currency: Japanese yen ¥ (€1= ¥1.20)
• Language: Japanese, English is not widely spoken and a lot of restaurants only have menus in Japanese so downloading google translate offline is really useful. The signs in the train stations are in English and Japanese and some restaurants have English menus too.
• Transport: JR Pass! I’ll cover this in detail further on. Taxis are exorbitantly expensive so avoid at all costs. Uber doesn’t really exist here, it dos but no cheaper then taxis. The train system is excellent around the country. The bullet train is something else, trains travel at speeds of 300 km/hr. The metro and train are excellent in Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and the larger cities all have trams and metro systems. The bus is efficient too and a cheaper way of travelling is overnight buses if you don’t purchase a Japan Rail pass. Getting a pasmo or sucia card is necessary when you arrive so you can top up the card and use it for all trains, trams and buses. The card costs ¥500 but you get it back when you return the card at the end of your stay in Japan.
• Accommodation: Hotels aren’t cheap in Japan. Air Bnb is widely used and there are hostels. Its depends on where you are but most hostels range between €15-25, I struggled to find anything for cheaper than €15 a night for a dorm bed apart from in Osaka. Traditional Japanese style rooms are still quite prevalent throughout Japan in some hostels and guesthouses. These traditional Japanese-style rooms consist of tatami mats as flooring. On top of the thick woven straw mats you will be given a futon, sheets and duvet to sleep on. They are surprising extremely comfortable. In hostels I found the mattresses fairly thin and quite hard so the futons on the floor tended to be more comfortable. Capsule hotels are common. They are exactly as they say on the tin, a capsule. It’s like sleeping in a CT scanner but after several nights of listening to snorers, these were a welcomed change to have a little pod to myself.

Japan Rail pass: worth it or not?

If you are travelling long distances across the country, getting a pass is well worth it. It doesn’t cover all trains, such as the Nozomi super express but other than that, it covers all JR trains and the bullet trains. It also covers some bus routes but won’t cover local trains and metros. On the JR website you can out in your route and will help calculate if it makes sense to purchase or not. Although passes can be purchased in Japan, they are 20% cheaper to get online and you can get them delivered to you in Japan if necessary. It used to be you could only order them from outside the country but you can get them in Japan, they are just more expensive then if you preorder them to your address online.

You can activate your JR pass a JR ticket office. It can be activated in the airport and used for the Narita express to get into the city center, but if you plan to spend a few days in Tokyo when you land or in Osaka, don’t activate the pass until you plan on taking a long journey on the train to maximise the length of your pass.

JR passes can be purchased for 7, 14 or 21 days.

The passes are expensive (€500 for 21 days) so if you only plan to travel to or or two places in Japan, check out bus options and the price of train tickets before ordering a pass.

When you order the pass online, it arrives via FED EX within 3 working days.

Sample itinerary:

Tokyo (5 days)- Nikko– (2 days) Hakone (2 days)- Mt Fuji ( 2 days)- Osaka (3 days)- Kobe (1 day)- Kyoto (2 days)- Nara (1 day)- Hiroshima (3 days)- Fukoaka (2 days)- Nagasaki (2 days)- Beppu (2 days)

Tokyo

Tokyo is an incredible city. It’s so vast but the transport is amazing it makes the city a lot smaller but still it will take over an hour to get from one tourist attraction to another. There is so much to do in Tokyo it deserves a post dedicated to itself. Click here to see the top 18 things to do in Tokyo.

Where to eat

I was told Japanese food would be the best food I’ve ever had and they weren’t wrong. One thing i have found here though is vegetarian options are lacking and there is fish and meat in nearly all ramen, sushi and okonomiyaki. But with a bit of research, you can find places that cater for vegetarians and vegans.

• Soranoiro Ramen. Delicious ramen in Tokyo Station, located downstairs in the restaurant and shopping hall. They do vegan and vegetarian ramen which is not that easy to come by. The broth is made from carrots and is gorgeous. Plenty of options are under ¥1000 (€8.30). I got an egg and extra veg so it was ¥1080.

• Midori Sushi. This is a popular sushi chain, so popular we waited an hour to get a table. It’s known for very good sushi for its mid range price point. They make the sushi in front of you also. The best sushi I had in Japan.

• Monster Kawaii cafe. This cafe has a sister restaurant on Osaka also, Pink Kawaii Cafe. The food here is multi coloured, even the pasta and they do weird and wonderful deserts that would able a four year old heaven. They run shows here too. The food isn’t great to eat but fun to look at. Instagram worthy food. Good place just to check out how ‘extra’ Tokyo is.

• Micasadeco cafe for fluffy Japanese style souffle pancake stack. Located just off Cat street, this little cafe does some of the best pancakes in Tokyo. Their signature dish is the stack of berry pancakes for ¥1400. The stack is huge so go hungry and if you go at he weekends expect to wait between 30-60 minutes for a table or your pancake order, depending on your group size.

• Le Shiner for multicoloured toasties, rolled ice cream and corn dogs. Not as disgusting as it looks, it actually tasted like toasted slice white slice pan and lashings of melted cheese.

• AIN SOPH: Ripple. This is part of the Ain Soph chain of vegan restaurants. here is mainly vegan treats and ‘junk food’ such as crispy chicken soy burgers, cheese fries, mac n cheese, french toast, vegan ice cream, cookies, burritos and lots of other tasty food. Genuinely one of the tastiest burgers I’ve ever had.

Hakone

Hakone is a mountainous town about two hours away from Tokyo known for hot springs resorts called onsens and views of Mt Fuji arising from Lake Ashi. It can be visited on a day tour from Tokyo but its best to spend at least one night to enjoy the laid back pace and all the activities Hakone has to offer. There is a good bit more to do bar onsens.

Getting there and away:

The quickest and easiest way of getting to Hakone is to catch the Shinkansen train from Tokyo or Shinagawa stations to Odawara (this is covered by the JR pass), then change onto the Hakone Tozan Railway line.

If you don’t have a JR pass, take the Romance Car from Shinjuku station on the Odakyu line to Hakone-Yumoto station, then change onto the Hakone Tozan Railway line. Before you get to Hakone, its best to purchase the Hakone Free Pass for 2 or 3 days, depending on your length of stay as it covers all the public transport such as the Tozen railway from Odawara or Hakone- Yumoto stations, the ropeway, the Tozan buses, the cable car and Lake Ashi cruise. The pass also gives you discounts to some museums and restaurants in the area.

Things to do

• Bath in an onsen. Hakone is most famous for its onsens, which are outdoor baths supplied by natural hot spring water. Mount Hakone is an active volcano, so the water is naturally hated through underground springs. The onsens are unisex and visitors must bathe naked. In most onsens they do not allow tattoos. The hostel I stayed at had an onsen in it but it’s worth spending the money on one of the nicer onsens. Tenzan Onsen is one of the nicest onsens in Hakone with multiple baths. They have toiletries, lockers, hair dryers and towels. Some of the baths are painfully hot but its a lovely place to relax. Adult entrance is ¥1200.

• Visit Hakone open air museum. Here you can enjoy the art outdoors. This is a must see in Hakone, it was one of the best things I did here. You can easily spend two hours wandering around the grounds admiring the art in nature.

• Head to Hakone Shrine and get your photo in the huge torii gates looking out on Lake Ashi. The famous Hakone Shrine stands at the foot of Mount Hakone. The wooden shinto shrine is hidden in the forest but its well marked by the torii gates on the lake’s shore.

• Take a boat trip around Lake Ashi and admire views of the iconic Mt Fuji. The lake was created after a volcano eruption and is the largest in the Kanagawa area. The Hakone sightseeing cruise lets you see the views around the lake.

• Sip amazke in a 400 year old teahouse. Amazake Chaya teahouse is located just off a hiking trail about a 25 minute walk form Lake Ashi. The houses’ specialties are different types of sake. Its most famous drink is amazake, a drink made from fermented rice. Its sweet but there is no sugar in it. The building is from the great Edo period, back when the samurai stopped to rest at Amazake Chaya.

• Visit the Hakone Glass Forest Museum. This is Japan’s first museum specialising in Venetian glass. It is a museum exhibiting art work and a shop where you can purchase a piece of Venetian glassware to take home. Adult entry is ¥1500.
• Ride the tozan cable car and ropeway. From the Hakone open air museum, you can hop on the tozan railway to Gora station. Here, jump onto the tozan cable car to ride up the mountain to the ropeway.
• Eat black eggs at Ōwakudani to add 7 years to your life. This popular spot is an active volcanic zone where white sulfurous volcanic fumes and hot springs an be experienced. It was closed during my time in Hakone due to volcanic activity. “Kuro-tamago” (black eggs) have gained popularity as a local specialty of eggs hard-boiled in the hot springs. Eating one is said to add 7 years to your life. It can be accessed via bus or the Hakone ropeway.

Nikko

Nikko is a town at the mouth of Nikko National Park in the mountains 1.5 hours on the train north of Tokyo. This quaint town is famed for Toshogu, Japan’s most lavishly decorated shrine and the National Park which offers incredible scenery and colours during autumn, world heritage sights waterfalls, lakes, monkeys and hiking trails.

Nikko can be visited from Tokyo as a day trip but this beautiful area has so much to offer and is a welcomed change from the chaos of Tokyo, I would recommend staying at least two or three days to immerse in nature and enjoy all Nikko has to offer.

Getting there

You can access Nikko using the JR pass if you have one by taking the Tohoku Shinkansen. Take a ‘Yamabito’ or ‘Nasuno’ Shinkansen from Tokyo or Ueno, to Utsunomiya (50 mins), and change for the JR Nikko line bound for JR Nikko station (45 mins). As the Nikko line is a local line, it only has a few departures a day so plan your journey in advance.  

If you don’t hold a JR pass the easiest and most economical way to get to Nikko is by Tobu Railway. This private train service, the Tobu Nikko Line starts at the Asakusa Station and Tokyo Skytree Station. The train is really comfortable and takes less than 2 hours to reach Tobu- Nikko station, the end of the line. International visitors are eligible for a discounted pass which includes a return trip train ticket and unlimited travel within the World Heritage area or the whole Nikko area. You can purchase the tickets directly Asakusa station. However this train ticket cannot be used on express routes. If you plan on visiting the lakes or beyond the World Heritage area, ensure you purchase the Nikko pass ALL areas. The Nikko pass ALL areas including a return train ticket costs ¥4600. The pass also covers the Lake Chuzenji sightseeing cruise. Otherwise you will have to pay extra for the buses past the World Heritage area.

If you come via the JR pass, you can purchase Nikko travel pass for ¥3000 for 2 day unlimited travel within Nikko at the Tobu Nikko station.

Where to stay

Nikko Park Mountain Lodge is a fabulous guesthouse with dorm and private room options. It has a real homely feeling with a fire burning, communal family style dinner and breakfasts. The staff are super helpful planning hiking routes and sight seeing around Nikko. Its a 20 minute walk from the station but the guesthouse runs a free shuttle daily at 9.30 am to the station and a shuttle back to the hostel between 3.30 and 5.30 pm. A dorm room per night is €25.

Things to do in Nikko

• Visit the UNESCO World Heritage area. Nikko was once a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship and contains Japan’s most embellished shrines, Toshogu. This is by far the most impressive of the three historical sights of worship that comprise the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The other temple, Rinnoji and shrine, Futarasan Jinja make up this site. The shrines and temples are expensive to visit if you visit them all. I would save my money for the main event, Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Entrance is ¥1300.

• Walk along the Kanmangufuchi Abyss. This area is a 20 minute walk from the World Heritage area and easy to find on google maps. The rustic path is lined with rows of old Jizo statues lined up along the river and rolling rapids. It not a large area and only a short walk but very peaceful and beautiful. The hundreds of old Jizos dresses in knitwear are said to be protecting souls of lost children.

• Photograph the historic Shinkyo bridge. This bridge is the first part of the UNESCO World Heritage area as you come from the railway station. It crosses the Daiya-gawa river and this particular bridge has stood here since 1636 although there was a crossing here long before that. You have to pay to cross the bridge but the beauty of it is the view of it and the turquoise water flowing below.

• Relax in an Onsen. There are many traditional Japanese hotels (ryokans) in Okunikko (inner Nikko) with Onsens. There is also a free hot spring footbath called “Annyo-no-yu” in the middle of the town, effective against rheumatisms and nerve pains. To get here, either hike or take the bus towards Okunikko Yumoto Onsen. From the Tobu-Nikko station it takes about 70 mins.

• Kegon waterfall. At 97 metres high Kegon falls, it is Japans second tallest waterfall. If its a clear day you may be lucky bough to see the waterfall. Kegon is just one of 48 waterfalls in the Nikko area and the water flows to the falls from Lake Chuzenji.

• Lake Chuzenji was created by an eruption of the Mount Nantai. Come to take a sightseeing boat tour around the lake or just sit and enjoy the peace of this tranquil area.

• Ryuzu waterfall. The scenery and red around this waterfall during autumn is more spectacular then the 210 m waterfall itself. You can enjoy a better view on the waterfall if you try to climb the stairs alongside the river. From Keogh waterfall and the lake, take the bus towards “Yumoto Onsen” until “Ryuzu-no-Taki” (about 30 mins) and then walk 2 minutes.

• Yudaki Falls. You can get a good view of this 70m high waterfall from the observational deck. There is a nice easy hike which takes under 2 hours from Ryuzu waterfall to Yudaki falls. From here you can catch a bus back to Tobu-Nikko Station (70 mins).

• Hiking. There are so many trails to take around Nikko and the national park lasting from 1 hour to 10+ hours. We did a nice easy 2 hour hike along a board walk from Ryuzu waterfall to Yudaki falls.

Enoshima Island

Enoshima island is a small shrine island in the Kamakura region, connected to the mainland with a bridge. The island has no cars on it as is full of steps. It is divided by a harbor side accessible by boats and a forest side which can only be explored on foot. This area contains all of the shrines and sights. Its a pleasantly little island that takes about 3 hours in total to explore. For those not keen on the many steps, there are paid escalators in place to take you up the levels of the island. The mainland has some of the closest beaches to Tokyo and is very popular with surfers. It’s a perfect day trip form Tokyo as it only take an hour and a half to reach the island from Tokyo.

How to get there

The quickest and easiest way of getting there is by taking the express or rapid express train from Shinjuku to Fujisawa Station and transfer to a local train to Katase Enoshima Station, the last stop on the line. The entire one way trip takes 65-75 minutes and costs ¥630.

If you have a JR pass you can get there by taking the JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station or the JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line from Shinjuku to Fujisawa Station (50 minutes, ¥970) and transfer to either the Enoden (10 minutes, ¥220) or Odakyu Railway (7 minutes, ¥160) for Enoshima.

Things to do

• Enjoy panoramic views from the observational deck of the sea candle tower and wander around the gardens. On a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji from here. Entrance to the gardens and the towel costs ¥500.

• Wander around the shrines. The island is full of shrines, do a walking route around the island and see the shrines along the way.

• Declare your wishes of love. Enoshima is considered a romantic island due to the myth with the goddess who created the island and a dragon. In the myth, the goddess ends up marrying the dragon because he promises to change his ways. There is a love bell on the top of Enoshima’s hill that couples can ring together and make a wish. Couples write their names on locks that they leave attached to the fence. Similar to the locks, pink wooden ema (prayer plates) are dotted around the islands outside the shrines with the visitors wishes of love.

• Visit the Iwaya Caves. The caves are two touristy and easily walk-able in the cliffs along Enoshima’s southern coast. The first cave contains some Buddhist statues, while the second cave is dedicated to the legendary dragon that used to terrorize the area. Unfortunately the caves were shut at the time we visited.
• Relax in Enospa. This is an onsen resort and day spa built into rocky shore of Enoshima. Like most onsens, bathing is naked and gender separated with indoor and outdoor pools. It costs ¥2750 to enter and ¥1650 after 6 pm.

Where to eat

• Moke’s Hawaii Enoshima: On the island before crossing over the bridge, we visited the most Instagramable cafe. We only got drinks in this cute cafe but the lunch and pancake menu looked great, as did a massive stack of strawberry an cream pancakes on the table beside us.

The Great Buddha of Kamakura is not in Enoshima but is not far from it and easily reached by tram. We coupled a day trip to Enoshima island with a visit to the Great Buddha. At a height of 11.4 m, this is the second tallest bronze Buddha in Japan. Aside form the massive bronze Buddha itself, there is really nothing else to see here. That said, the Buddha is definitely worth going to see. It costs ¥200 to enter and ¥20 to go inside the Buddha.

How to get there from Enoshima and Tokyo

From Enoshima: Catch the train from Enoshima station to Hase station (25 mins). The Buddha is a 5 minute walk from here.

From Tokyo: The same way as you Fujisawa station, then get the Enoden railway line to Hase Station.

Alternatively, with a JR pass, take the Shonan- Shinjuku line from Shinjuku to Kamakura JR station and then from Kamakura station, take the Enoden tram to Hase station. The Great Buddha is located a 5-10 minute walk from Hase Station, the third station from Kamakura along the Enoden railway line. The Enoden is a streetcar-like train that connects Kamakura with Enoshima and Fujisawa.

The Kansai District

The best known cities in this area are Osaka and Kyoto. Three smaller cities that are worth a day trip to from either Osaka or Kyoto are Nara, Kobe and Himeji.

Osaka

Osaka is Japan’s second biggest city and my favourite. Osaka. Its a big city but easy enough to navigate on a combination of bike and foot or by subway and train. There is plenty to do here and lots of places that can be reached on day trips if you chose to base yourself here for a week or two. Three days in Osaka city is enough to see it all and not be too rushed. Osaka is best known for its food, in particular street food and has been given the name, ‘ The Nation’s Kitchen’. The local specialties of Osaka are okonomiyaki (Japanese filled savory pancakes)and takayaki (octopus balls). Osaka has great nightlife so its worth trying to do a weekend here. You easily spend a week here with day trips to Nara, Kyoto and Kobe.

Getting there and away:

The bullet train services Shin-osaka and from there, the JR line goes to Osaka station. Osaka also has an international airport.

Things to do:

• Visit Osaka Castle. This gorgeous white castle surrounded by a moat is one of the most iconic buildings in Osaka. You can walk around the grounds of the castle for free and enter the castle to see the museum. Unless museums are really your thing I suggest skipping the castle museum. It gets very crowded although the views of the city are great from above but Osaka has much better view points. Adult entrance into the castle museum is ¥600.

• Visit the Shitennoji Buddha temple. This is the oldest Buddhist temple in Ōsaka. It was the first temple administered officially by the state. The grounds surrounding are free to enter but it costs ¥300 to enter the inner precinct. Although you can see the 5 story pagoda from outside, the views are better from inside.

• Admire the views of Osaka from the Tsutenkaku tower. The views are incredible from here. You can pay a little bit extra to go to the very top of the tower to outside. I think it’s worth paying the ¥500 extra for this. Entrance to the first deck is ¥800. The tower is lit up at night and is the back drop to the famous Shinsekai area.

• Stroll around Shinsekai at night and see the areas weird and wonderful restaurants light up. The tsutenkaku in the background makes for a great photo.

• Grab lunch or a snack at Kuromon Market. This indoor food market is full of weird and wonderful things you wouldn’t get at home so go hungry and try the local delicacies. The market has over 190 years history and it’s known as “Osaka’s Kitchen”. It is always full of locals and all kinds of fresh foods can be found here. Its one of the best places to savor authentic street foods of Osaka.

• Watch the sunset from Umeda Sky Building. These are the best views I think in Japan. The top of the sky building has a 360 glass cafe to admire the views. The top deck is a full 360 outdoor view of Osaka. I didn’t figure out this was here until after sunset but the views at night are incredible as the city lights up. Go up before sunset to see the view by day and stay for sunset and after dark to see the city through the three stages. It costs ¥1500, drinks in the sky cafe are ¥600. This was a highlight of my 5 weeks in Japan. Definitely don’t miss this!

• Ride the red Ferris wheel on top of the HEP FIVE shopping centre. This isn’t the largest Ferris wheel but its located in the center and only takes 15 mins. The views are lovely and it only costs ¥400.

• Geek out at Harry Potter and go to Universal Studios. Be sure to dedicate a day to this. The queues are very long so buying the express line pass is definitely worth it.

• Experience an assault on the senses at Dotonbori night market. The infamous Glico running man is at the Dotonbori bridge. The best time to go is at night to see the place really come to life. There are plenty of places here and along the river to eat and drink. My favourite part was just taking all the lights in and the atmosphere. The street food here is excellent and you can get pretty much everything at very reasonable prices. Entertainment, shopping, food- you will never get bored of this vibrant area.

• Visit the Namba Yasaka Shrine. This shrine is a giant lions head building surrounded by cheery blossom trees. It’s one of Osaka’s most distinctive places of worship.

• Visit Hozen-ji temple and explore Hozenji alley after. This is a tiny quaint temple in the middle of the chaos of the Namba area. Visit the temple at night to see the lanterns gentle lit and the Fudo Myoo statue who is covered in moss. It has become a custom to pour water over Fudo Myoo, this is why he is covered in moss. Surround the temple are the cobbles streets known as Hozenji alley. Enjoy an okonomiyaki or a drink in one of the local izakayas which line the alleyway.

• Relax at Spa World. This is an onsen which are bathing pools located outside so you can take in the fresh air whilst enjoying the 40 degree baths. Spa world, as the name suggests has a range of spa, saunas and pools to relax in. You can chose from spa treatments here such as massages too. Onsens are unisex and you must go in naked. Also, Japanese onsens are very strict on tattoos and don’t let you enter if you have any.

What not to do

I usually don’t have a ‘what not to do in…’ list but you’ll notice I’ve left Osaka aquarium off the ‘to do’ list. I explore you not to visit and support this if you care about animals. They have two whale sharks, the planets largest fish, captivated in a relatively small tank. Aquariums are no safe haven for fish or marine mammals, they are completely unethical so I urge you to be a conscious traveler and chose your tourist activities wisely.

Where to stay

• Hive Guesthouse. This lovely hostel is in a great location near Umeda area where the sky building is with plenty of restaurants and also it is only a ten minute walk from Osaka central station. Its about 50 min walk from Dotonbori and Namba area or a 20 minute journey between a subway and walking. They serve free toast and coffee in the mornings, have a communal kitchen, towel rental, bike rental, privacy curtains, sockets and lights by each bed and the showers all have shampoo, shower gel and conditioner. This seems to be standard in Japanese hostels. A dorm bed a night here costs €9, bargain!
• Ark Guest House Namba. This is a lovely hostel a bit more basic but the location is great, right in the heart of Namba so surrounded by restaurants, bars and near Dotonbori. The beds are very comfy. All have privacy curtains, lights, sockets, clean wash rooms on every floor, kitchen and a nice hang out area and rooftop. A dorm bed here is €10 a night.

Where to eat

Aside from the street food in Dotombori and Kuromon market, here are some of my favourite places I ate.

• Takoyaki is one of the delicacies of Osaka you can find in the Dotonbori market. They are fried octopus balls covered in mayo and fish flakes (optional). They retain the heat like nothing else so be careful of scalding the roof of your mouth. Surprisingly delicious, or maybe not as anything fried and swimming in mayo usually is.

• Base Island Kitchen. This tiny vegan and vegetarian place run by one woman. The place has a grand total of 8 seats! The menu is Jamaican inspired along side tapas dishes and a jerk vegan craft burger. This charcoal bun and beetroot burger is what they are most famous for so go for an early lunch to avoid disappointment, the day I went she was down to her final burger.

• Okonomiyaki Chitose. The best place to get okonomiyaki in Osaka. It’s different to the Hiroshima style pancakes filled with cabbage, a choice of meat and topped off with cheese or egg and delicious sweet sauce. They tend to be smaller then the Hiroshima style okonomiyaki so if you go hungry, you’ll be able for two. They open at 5 pm and you may end up waiting for a table, but worth it and less than ¥1000 for a meal.

• CoCo Ichibanya for katsu curry. This place is a chain but it’s renowned for its katsu curry. They have vegetarian options, different rice sizes, spice levels and all types of meat and fish. Get it with cheese on it. Trust me, change changer. A meal here costs between ¥1000-1500 depending on extras and size.

• Teppan Okonomiyaki Mitsuki. Another great okonomiyaki place with a menu in English. They serve other dishes such as noodles and rice dishes. They leave the Japanese mayo on the table which is like crack. You can get okonomiyaki for under ¥1000 (€8.20) although the recommended with pork, squid and scrimp is ¥1650 and you can add noodles and toppings such as green onion, egg, cheese and meats. They also cater for vegetarians and have a cheese and tomato option.

• Protein lab. If you’re looking for healthy bro food, a nice salad bowl, protein smoothie or healthy vegan food- this is the place. You can make your own salad bowl here to pick from their selection. They have the calories beside all the salads. It’s not exactly cheap, I paid ¥1400 for this. But its healthy and vegetarian, both which aren’t that easy to find in Japan.

• Mauloa Acai and Cafe. This cafe is near Umeda Sky Building and Osaka station. They do smoothies, coffee, and create your own acai bowls. They have an English menu. Closed on Mondays and are open from 11.30-7.
• Rikuro’s Cheesecake. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see a line of people outside. They make the cheesecakes right in front of you. You see them stamp them as they come out of the oven with the signature logo and they ring a bell when the next batch is out. They sell the cheese cakes whole but two people would manage one. They are light and fluffy, not like your typical cheesecake.

Kyoto

Kyoto was once Japan’s capital and home to the emperors home until 1868. It has exceptional historical value and is packed with countless temples and shrines and other amazing historical attractions. Kyoto receives a lot more tourists than the other regions and it’s not wonder why. You can easily spend 4 days in Kyoto exploring all the temples, shrines, different areas, shopping, hikes and taking a day trip to nearby Hijmei or Nara. You won’t see everything in Kyoto in 2 days but I think that’s enough to see the main attractions if you are tight on time.

Getting there and away

Kyoto is on the shinkansen line and is serviced by local JR lines too so it’s very easy to get to from the major cities with the JR pass. Kyoto also has a tram, metro and is well serviced by buses running to and from the tourist attractions.

Things to do

• Stroll through Arashiyama Bamboo Forrest. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kyoto and its not hard to see why. Walking amidst these sparing stalks of bamboo is magical but don’t be fooled by what you see on Instagram. During the day it gets very crowded with tourists so if you want to have the place to yourself, go early! Before 8 am if you want to be transported to another world.

• Tenryuji Temple and gardens. This temple was was ranked first among the city’s five great zen temples and is now a world heritage site. The temple is surrounded by a beautiful garden. Entry to both the temple and gardens is ¥800 or ¥500 or the gardens alone. You can see the temple from outside. I don’t think you really need to go in to the temple so skip it and just visit the gardens.

• Wander through the Gion district. It’s best to visit here in the evening. Gion is Kyoto’s most famous district. Here you will find geisha dressed in beautiful coloured kimonos and upscale traditional Japanese restaurants. It’s known as the entertainment district where you can find traditional Kyomai dance performances, quiet sake bars to buzzing izakayas.

• Visit Hōzōji Temple in the middle of the busy shopping area of Kyoto. It’s a cute little temple with subtly lit lanterns in the evening.

• Make a wish and give up one of your greeds at Yasaka Koshindo Temple. Its a small colourful temple made from colourful balls called “kukurizaru”. People come and write there wishes on the balls and hang them at the site. The most common favour of this temple is love. It’s believed that if you give up one of your greeds, your wish just might come true.

• Admire the Kinkaku-ji temple (Golden Pavilion). This zen temple’s upper two floors are covered in gold leaf. It’s in the northern region of Kyoto and can be accessed by the JR line. Its ¥400 to enter and open daily from 9-5 pm.

• Wander through thousands of torri gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine. This is one of the most famous temples in Kyoto. The orange torii gates line the trail up to the sacred Mount Inari. The gates go on for literally kms. At the beginning everyone is scrambling to get that perfect IG shot but like any of these tourist spots, if you keep walking to the top of Mt. Inari you’ll find you the tourists deplete and you will have the gates and the mountains to yourself. The torri gates are believed to symbolise the transition from the mundane to the sacred.

• Admire the views from Kiyomizu-dera temple. This temple is stunning in cherry blossom season, I’ve only seen photos of it as I went in autumn, which is also stunning with the foliage changing colour. The main hall is hanging by the cliff with a breath taking view of Kyoto. You can see the three storied pagoda and main building if you walk down the path to the west side away from the main building.

• Discover your inner ninja in the Samurai and Ninja Museum. This was surprisingly great. I didn’t expect to enjoy it so much dressing up like samurai and throwing darts at a wall. But the museum is much more than that. You learn about the history from the early Heian period and the collapse of the samurai and ninja period.

• Visit Yasaka Shrine. Best to go here early to avoid the crowds. It is believed to be the guardian God of the town of Gion.

• Drink and chat with locals in Pontocho Alley. This alley way is like the Golden Gai of Kyoto. It’s full of izakayas and bars. Nokishita711 bar is a craft gin bar that’s definitely a must visit for a cocktail.
• Sample your way through Nishiki Market and sample what Kyoto’s kitchen has to offer. This market is the food capital of Kyoto. In the afternoon and early evening this gets very busy. You can find everything including octopus here.

• Go on a free walking tour. Kyoto has two free walking tours a day, 9 am and 2.30 pm for tips. You can join for free by clicking attending on their Facebook page.
• See Kyoto from above from Kyoto tower. You can see the amazing views of Kyoto city from the observational deck at the top of Kyoto tower. Go up for sunset and watch the city transform and light up. Kyoto tower from below is lovely to see at night. Entrance costs ¥800.

• Watch wild monkeys at play in Arashiyama monkey Park. The park is inhabited by around 120 Japanese macaque monkeys. Its famous for its view of Kyoto city from the top of the mountain.
• Wander the streets of the Higashiyma District and visit the Yasaka Pagoda, the last remnant of Hokanji Temple.

• Stroll around the grounds of Higashi Honganji temple. Its free to enter and only a 5 minute walk from Kyoto Station.

Where to eat

• Ain Soph Journey. This vegan restaurant is a chain and has a sister restaurant called ripple. The food here is some of the best I’ve ever had. It’s not too cheap but also not extortionate, this meal was ¥2800 (€25) for a spinach and tofu curry and their famous matcha pancakes. Even if you’re not a vegan, you have to check this place out for the pancakes alone. They also have some vegan junk food like crispy soy chicken burger or healthy salads.

• Mumokuteki cafe & foods. This is also a shop and a food market with a cafe above. They serve vegan and vegetarian food and the shop is full of cute hand made jewelry, sustainable fashion and kitchen wear. It’s very eco focused, something which is a rarity in Japan.

• Kyoto Curry Udon Mimikou. One of the best noodle dishes I’ve had in Japan. They cater for vegetarians and vegans too. I got an eggplant curry udon with cheese which cost ¥980.

Vermillion Cafe. This is on the way down from the Fushimi Inari Temple. After hiking to the top of Mt Inari, a decent breakfast was needed. They cater for vegans too and have plenty of healthy options. A basic-bitch- taste-of-home brunch was a welcomed change in Japan.

Nara

Nara was once the first permanent capital in Japan in the year 710. Prior to this the capital used to move location whenever a new emperor ascended the throne. Nara is most widely known for its thousands wild deer who roam free around the park in the city. The deer here are known as the most polite in the world as they actually bow for crackers. Due to its past as the first capital, Nara is home to some of Japans largest and oldest temples and historical treasures. Nara is located less than an hour from Osaka and Kyoto so its a really lovely day trip from either of them.

Getting there: from Kyoto

JR Pass: You can get there for free if you hold a JR pass by taking the JR Nara line from Kyoto Station. There is an express train which takes 45 mins and a local train which takes 45 mins.

Non JR Pass: Alternatively the quickest way of getting there is by taking the Kintetsu Nara Line from Kintetsu Kyoto Station to Kintetsu Nara Station (¥1110, 35 mins).

From Osaka

JR Pass: Take the JR Kanjo-Yamatoji Line from JR Osaka Station to JR Nara Station (¥780, 50 minutes).

Non JR route: Take the Kintetsu Nara Line from Kintetsu Namba Station in Osaka to Kintetsu Nara Station (¥540, 40 mins).

Things to do

• Nara Deer Park. Wild deer roam around the park. They are generally very friendly deer and bow for crackers. You can buy crackers that are safe to feed the deer in the park for ¥200. The crackers have been specially formulated for the deer.

• Todai-ji Temple. A must see for all visitors to Nara, it is also the home to the famous Daibutsu (Great Buddha). At a height of 16 m, it is Japans tallest Buddha statue.

• Yakushi-ji Temple. Yakushi-ji is one of Nara’s most important temples and home to some of the area’s finest Buddhist images. It’s not a must-see, but it’s great for those with an interest in Buddhism who plan to spend more than one day in Nara. It’s easy to pair a visit to it with the nearby Toshodai-ji Temple.

• Hōryū-ji Temple. A Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in Nara. It is one of the oldest in Japan and is renowned for its early Buddhist sculpture.

• Kōfuku-ji temple and five story pagoda. The Central Golden Hall is the most impressive part of the temple and was destroyed by fire roughly 300 years ago and was not rebuilt in its original size until recently.

• Sample the street food. Nara is known mochi, chestnuts and regional sushi that is served wrapped in a leaf.

Nachi falls

I visited Nachi Falls and the surrounding shrines and temples on a day trip from Osaka. This entails of a 4 hour train from Shin-Ōsaka to Kii-Katsuura and then a bus from Kii- Katsuura to Daimonzaka, where the trail starts through a forest to the temples and the waterfall.

The short 1.6 km hike and exploring the temples and waterfall takes no longer then 2.5 hours. So a total of almost 10 hours traveling round trip is a very long way to go to wandering around temples and take a photo of a waterfall. None the less, it was beautiful and I’m so glad I went. I only heard about the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage on my way to the falls which was such a pity. Nachi Taisha was one of the main destinations of the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes.

The waterfall is within a large complex of religious sites which are a fusion of Buddhist and Shinto influences. Kumano Nachi Taisha is one of the three Kumano shrines. Among the shrines is a three-story pagoda.

A short distance from the religious complex is the 133 meter waterfall Nachi no Taki, Japan’s tallest waterfall.

Kobe

Kobe is one of Japans tenth largest city. Its famed for its marveled beef, supposedly the best in the world. It framed by a harbor and located between the sea and the Rokko mountain range. in 1995, an earthquake hit killing 5000 people and destroying thousands of buildings. Since then the city has been completely rebuilt, a few signs of the disastrous event remain, including the earthquake museum to commemorate those who lost their lives in the earthquake. but a Its a very easy day trip from Osaka or Nara and can be gotten to using your JR pass.

Getting there:

Shinkansen: This is the quickest way of getting there from either Kyoto or Shin-Osaka. Kobe is one stop on the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka and two stops from Kyoto. This will leave you at Shin- Kobe. From here you can get a metro to access downtown Kobe (Kobe-Sannomiya) which is one stop away.

JR pass: Take the JR Kobe line from Osaka Station) on the JR Kobe Line. This will get you to JR Kobe Station in 31 minutes.

Things to do:

• Try Kobe beef. This waggu beef is world renowned and said to be the best in the world.
• Visit the earthquake museum. This museum commemorates the lives of those lost in by the Great Hanshin- Awaji Earhquake which hit in 1995 claiming over 5000 lives.
• Hike up Mount Rokko for panoramic views of Osaka and Kobe. Alternatively if you don’t feel like hiking, take the bus to the base of the cable car and ride the Rokko cable car to the top. The cable car ride up the mountain takes 10 minutes and costs ¥590 one way or ¥1000 for a round trip ticket.
• Relax in Arima Onsen. Considered one of Japan’s oldest hot springs and one of the top onsens in western japan. The town has two types of hot springs, the Kinsen (gold water) is brown in colour and said to be good for skin problems and muscle pain. The Ginsen (silver water) is said to cure various muscle and joint aliments. There are two public bath houses in the town and several ryokans. Several of the ryokans allow non guests visit the baths on a day pass. Admission for a day pass is usually between ¥500-2500.
• See the worlds largest suspension bridge. At 4 km long, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is the world’s longest suspension bridge. There is a Bridge Exhibition Center at the bottom of the Kobe side of the bridge detailing information about the planning and construction of the bridge. It costs ¥310 to visit. There is observatory hallways under the bridge’s platform on the Maiko Marine Promenade. It can be accessed by an elevator from the base of the bridge on the Kobe side. The hallways offer the chance to see the bridges interior. Admission costs ¥250.
• Take a stroll along Kobe Harborland. This is the entertainment and shopping district. its particularly nice at night when the Kobe Port Tower is illuminated.

Himeji

Himeji is a city in the Kanasi region best known for its magnificent castle, Himeji Castle. This castle is one of the six original surviving castles and is considered to be Japan’s most beautiful of the surviving castles. The castle is now a national treasure and a UNESCO world heritage site. It is Japans largest and most visited castle.

I mainly came here just to visit the castle so I can’t say much about the city itself other than the castle can be seen from Himeji Station, which is only a 15 min walk from the castle.

Himeji is an easy day trip from Kyoto, Kobe or Osaka. It’s less than an hour and a half on the train from any of these cities and the castle takes about an hour to visit and walk around the grounds. It costs ¥1000 for adults to visit and well worth it. The castle is just stunning. You can also get a boat tour around the moat of the castle.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima became famous after it suffered the disastrous event of the first atomic bombing. In August 1945 an atomic bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima killing 80,000 people immediately. The devastating effects of the atomic bombings were felt in the aftermath with a further 70,000 deaths due to injury and radiation effects. The bomb obliterated almost everything within a 2 km radius, apart form the dome, known as the Atomic or A dome. This can be seen in the memorial peace park. The park in the middle of the city was given this name to reflect the hope of the reborn city.

After WWII efforts were made to rebuilt the city, including the historical Hiroshima Castle. Today the city is home to over 1 million people and is a popular tourist destination, not only to visit the peace memorial museum and park but to visit the nearby island of Miyajima.

Getting there and away

Hiroshima Station is on the shinkansen line and all the express and super express trains bound for Hakata or Tokyo stop in Hiroshima. It has a good bus service to downtown and a JR line.

Things to do

• Peace Memorial Museum. Learn about the devastating effect of the atomic bombings at the Peace Memorial Museum. This is a fairly harrowing experience and very somber atmosphere. The stories of those who died and suffered as a result of the bombing are on display along with the history of nuclear weapons. The museum finishes with the hope of abolishing nuclear weapons by 2020 and with the moto of “no more Hiroshimas”. Its an incredible sad place but an important one to visit in my opinion. Its worth visiting the museum first and then going to see the atomic dome in Peace Memorial Park.

• See the atomic dome wander through the Peace Memorial Park. The atomic dome is the only remaining structure after the bombings and serves a reminder of the devastating effects of nuclear weapons.

• Visit Hiroshima castle. Unfortunately this is a replica of the original as it was demolished by the bombing. The replica is beautiful and is surrounded by a moat and gardens. You can enter the castle and get a nice view of Hiroshima from the top.

• Cycle the Shimanami Kaido. The Shimanami Kadio is a road with a series of suspension bridges connecting 6 small islands in the Seto Inland Sea. The cycle route is 70 km in total and connects Japan’s main island of Honshu to the island of Shikoku. The route starts on Honshu in Onomichi city and leads across the 6 islands before finishing on Shikoku in Imabari city. The scenery is absolutely beautiful along the way and the route is doable in a day by intermediate cyclists or those of moderate fitness.
  • Getting there from Hiroshima: Take the Tokaido- Sanyo line (Nozomi) to Fukuyama station (1 stop, 23 mins). Change at Fukuyama station and take the JR San-yo line to Onomichi station (20 mins).
  • Returning to Hiroshima: Highway buses run from Imabari Station to either Fukuyama (1.5 hours, ¥2500, 1 bus/hour) or Hiroshima (2.5 hours, ¥3700, 3-6 buses/day).
  • Transport along the Shimanami Kaido: direct buses run between Onomichi and Imabari (1.5 hours, Y
  • ¥2250 one way), however, they run only once every three hours.
  • Hiring bikes: There are two cycling terminals located 150 m from Onomichi station. The ferry to bring you to start of the bike trail is beside the bike rental in Onomichi. It costs ¥1000 to hire a bike and helmet and ¥1000 deposit. You get the ¥1000 back if you return the bike to the same hire point. You can drop the bike off at any of the designated bike terminals along the route. There are two cycling terminals are located at Imabari Station.

• Take a day trip to Miyajima island

Miyajima (shrine island) is a small island less than an hour outside the city of Hiroshima. It is most famous for its giant floating torii gate. The gate appears to be floating during high tide. Unfortunately it was covered in scaffolding when I visited. It is under renovations until 2020. Another key feature of the island is Itsukushima Shrine. Similar to the torii gate, the shrine’s main buildings are built over water. If you have time, Miyajima is nice for an overnight as it becomes much quieter and more peaceful. Like Nara, wild deer roam around the island and are very friendly and have gotten used to tourists. Watch out for food in your hands, they will try steal it or may try eat any paper you have. They like to munch on that too.

Getting there

From Hiroshima: This journey is covered fully by the JR pass. Take the JR Sanyo line train from Hiroshima station to Miyajimaguchi station (25 mins). Here take the 10 minute ferry across to Miyajima island. The ferry is a 2 min walk from the train station and is well sign posted.

Things to do

Miyajima is know as shrine island so naturally, there are plenty of shrines to visit. The main shrines to visit are:

• Floating torii gates. Best to go at high tide to see the gates “floating” or whilst they aren’t under reconstruction, like me. The gates are part of the Itsukushima Shrine.
• Itsukushima Shrine. Also built on the water, during high tide it seems to be floating.

• Five story pagoda.

• Daisho-in temple. Hidden among the trees, they’re are many parts to this temple including the Jizo statues. At the top of the temple, you have a great view of the island.

• See the deer. The wild deer roam around the island freely. They are said to be sacred and holy and thought of as messengers of the Gods. They are tame and friendly, no well used to tourists and will only bother you for food so beware of any food in your hand or bag when walking around.

• Summit Mount Misen via the ropeway or by hiking up the 90 minute hike. Mt Misen at 500 m is the islands highest peak giving great views of Hiroshima opposite and the island. The ropeway takes about 20 minutes and from here it is about a 30 minute walk to the observational deck.
• Stroll along Omotesando street. This is the main visitors street on Miyajima lined with shops, restaurants, cafes, sweet shops selling momiji manjyu, a sweet bean paste candy that is made fresh all over the island.

• Relax on the beach. There is a small beach on the island where you can bath and swim on in the summer.

Where to stay

• Hostel Mallika: brilliant location right beside the peace memorial park and the museum. Free coffee, tea and toast in the morning, lovely beds with privacy curtains, wash rooms on every floor filled with toiletries which was great. Hiroshima Station is a 40 min walk or a few stops on the bus. A dorm bed is €13.50.

• Santiago GH: this hostel is located in a busier area for shopping, bars and restaurants. No free breakfast here but free coffee. Nice common area with a kitchen. Only reason I didn’t stay here when I visited Hiroshima again was the beds were a bit hard. The mattresses in Japan seem to be on the thinner side in general. It’s a 30 min walk to Hiroshima train station or 10 mins on the bus. A bed in a dorm room here cost €13.50.

Where to eat

Hiroshima is famous for its Hiroshima style okonomiyaki. They are much bigger than the Osaka style ones so one is more than enough. If you only eat one thing here, you must try okonomiyaki.

• Kissa Saeki. A gorgeous vegan place with modern but homely interior. They do a set vegan breakfast for ¥800 but you can add egg to it. I had breakfast only here but the lunch menu looked great too.

• Nagataya. Famous for okonomiyaki and for catering for vegetarians and vegans. One of the top places in Hiroshima for okonomiyaki.

• Mitchan Sohonten Hatchobori– the most famous okonomiyaki claimed as the originator of okonomiyaki in Hiroshima prefecture. Mitchan invented the special sauce for okonomiyaki over half a century ago.

• Chinchikurin Tatemachi. Its a close call between these two places for my favourite okonomiyaki. This place is also excellent. I asked for an egg as an extra on top. This okonomiyaki came to ¥1600.

Beppu

Beppu is a city and onsen resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Set between Beppu Bay and volcanic mountains, it’s home to more than 2,000 onsen (hot springs). It produces more hot spring water than any other resort in the country. There are so many baths to choose from here; from sand baths, mud baths, ordinary hot water baths and steam baths. There is enough to do to fill a few days here exploring the hiking, the different baths and the famous Hells of Beppu.

Getting there and away

By train without a JR pass: Take the Tokaido/Sanyo Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kokura Station and transfer to the Sonic limited express train for Beppu. The entire one way trip takes about 6 hours and costs around ¥25,000.

 JR Pass: From Tokyo take the Hikari and Sakura trains with an extra transfer at Shin- Osaka towards Kokura station. As JR pass is not valid on the Nozomi express trains it will take an hour longer.

By air: The flight between Tokyo (usually Haneda Airport) and Oita airport takes about 90 minutes. Jetstar flights start at about ¥5000 but they can be anywhere between ¥5000-40000. The bus one way between Oita Airport and Beppu takes 40 minutes and costs ¥1500.

Things to do

• Tour the hell circuit. The Hells of Beppu (Jigoku Menguri in Japanese) is one of the main reasons people come to Beppu. There are 8 in total, each completely different and have different themes. Six of the sites are located in Kannawa and the other two located a bit further away (3 km) from Beppu center. It can be walked or you can get a us between the site locations. You can buy entrance to each of the hells individually or a combination ticket to visit them all. This is better value if you plan on visiting more than 5 of the hells. It takes several hours to tour all of the hells so allow at least 3 hours.

• Bathe in an Onsen. Beppu is an onsen resort with many types of baths. A lot of the guesthouses and hotels have onsens with in them. Alternatively head to Takegawara Onsen which has both the sand bath and the onsen at the same location. The water here is piping hot but is supposed to be good for all types of aches and pains.

• Steam your own food. One of the functions of the hells is for cooking. The best place to steam your own food for a cheap and healthy meal is Jigoku Mushi Kobo. You can either bring your own ingredients or buy them here and then steam them using kama, Japanese vats that are heated by the onsen waters underneath them.

• Summit Mount Tsurumi. You can hike up Mount Tsurumi which takes about 2 hours or take the Kintestsu Beppy ropeway up to the observational deck. The views on a clear day are amazing. You can see as far out as Beppu Bay. To get the best of both hike up and take the ropeway back down.

• Take a sand bath. Shoningahama Beach is one of the best places to have a sand bath as the sand is heated by the spring waters which bubble beneath the surface. People come here to be buried in sand up to their neck. It is said to have healing proprieties and relax the body.

Where to stay

Guest House Matsukiso is a family run Onsen Guesthouse. The dorms are Japanese traditional style futon beds on tamiki mats and there is no separate showers other than in the Onsens which are unisex. It’s a 10 minute walk from Beppu and just across the road from the shopping center, restaurants and bars. There is a communal kitchen with free tea and coffee. A bed in a dorm is €19.

Where to eat

Rokusei is said to be the best ramen in Beppu. The staff don’t speak English and only take cash. A meal is between ¥800-1100. I can confirm it is good ramen.

Fukuoka

Fukuoka is the capital of the Kyushu island and the largest of its cities. It’s the main economical and commercial hub of the prefecture and enough to do in the big city to warrant a visit. Its actually closer to Seoul than it is to Tokyo, you can take an overnight ferry to Bunsan, South Korea!

Getting there and away:

The Shinkansen line services Fukuoka’s main station, Hakata. The JR line also runs around Fukuoka and it is well serviced by buses into the city. It’s not a cheap train from Tokyo and takes about 6 hours so the JR pass was very useful here.

Things to do:

• Visit the Reclining Buddha at Nanzoin Temple. This giant reclining Buddha is 41 m in length and 11 m high making it the same size as New York’s Statue of Liberty. It take 25 minutes on the train to get their from Fukuoka. From Hakata station take the JR Sasaguri line to Kido Nanzoin-mae Station and the temple is a two minute walk away. Have your shoulders and knees covered, the women go made when they see bare shoulders and knees coming and will chase you with a sarong to wear if you come uncovered.

• Visit Sumiyoshi Shrine. It’s a shrine that is slightly unusual for Fukuoka. It is nice for a quick stroll around. It doesn’t take more then ten mins to visit.

• Stroll around Ohori Park. This beautiful park is built around a large pond which was previously part of a moat system of Fukuoka castle. It’s ideal for a bit of exercise around the path circling the lake or for a picnic. The park also has its own Japanese gardens and the Fukuoka Art Museum is here.

• Visit the oldest shrine in Fukuoka. The Kushida Shrine is the oldest shinto shrine in the area. The grounds are small but each corner you turn there is something packed into it. A giant float used during festivals is on display there too.

• Visit Fukuoka castle ruins. This castle was once the largest in Kyushu before it was destroyed during the Meiji period. Only the base of the castle remains and a few turrets but it gives a good view of the city across the water. It’s free to visit.

• Eat ramen. Fukuoka is the home of ramen and the place to try it if you haven’t yet. A popular chain is Ichiran Ramen. I can’t promise its the best but it’s quick and cheap.

Nagasaki

Nagasaki is a Japanese city set on a large natural harbor on the northwest coast of the island of Kyushu. Its one of Japan’s closest harbor cities to Asian mainland. It became better known as the second city to hit with an atomic bomb in 1945 after Hiroshima in World War II. The city also has a war museum and peace park commemorating the atomic bombing. Nagasaki can be visited on a day trip from Fukuoka but spending a night or two will allow you explore all the city has to offer. Two days would be plenty of time here.

Getting there

This is where you really get value from a JR pass. The train ticket one way from Tokyo is ¥25,000 where as a 7 day JR pass is ¥29000 so makes sense to get a pass if you’re coming down this far and traveling around.

From Tokyo by train: Take the JR Tokaido/ Sanyo Shinkansen to Hakata station in Fukuoka and transfer here to the JR Kamone train to Nagasaki. If you are using the Nozomi train along the Shinkansen the trip takes about 7.5 hours in total. The JR pass is not valid on the Nozomi train so JR pass holders will have to use the Hikari and Sakura trains and need to transfer at Shin-Osaka. This will add an hour on to the journey in total.

By air: Jetstar run cheap flights starting at ¥6500 from Tokyo to Nagasaki airport. The journey takes about 2 hours.

Things to do

• Visit the Sofukuji Temple. This is a zen Buddhist temple that looks quite different to the other temples in the area. Worth visiting as it is very pretty with a little pond in the garden. Admission costs ¥600.

• Explore the Glover Gardens, an open air museum that exhibits mansions of several of the city’s former foreign residents and related buildings. I found the tour of the houses themselves a bit boring but the gardens are beautiful and the view of the port and city below is great on a clear day.

• Visit Oura Church, Japan’s most famous Christian church. It was built to commemorate the 26 Christians who were executed in the city in 1597. Pretty church, admission is ¥1000. I didn’t think it was worth paying the price so I stood outside and took a photo instead.

• Visit the war museum and peace park that was built to commemorate the atomic bombings in 1945 where a large part of the city was destroyed and tens of thousands of lives were lost. Visiting the complex which consists of two parks and a museum is a sobering experience but important in being an example to demonstrate to future generations the horror and devastation of war.

• Admire the 10 million dollar view from Mount Inasa. You can get a rope way up for 1200 return which takes 5 minutes each way and leaves every 20 mins or opt for a sweaty 50 min hike up and take the rope way back down. It’s best to head before sunset to watch sunset and the enjoy one of the top 3 nighttime views in Japan. There is an observatory deck here giving a full 360 degree view of Nagasaki.

Where to stay

Casa Blanca Guesthouse. This is a lovely hostel only a 20 min walk from Nagasaki Station or a 10 min tram which brings you within 150 m of the hostel. The location is brilliant, very central and they provide free toast, a kitchen to use, tea and coffee. A dorm bed here costs €19.

That concludes my guide to Japan. Hope you found it helpful. Leave a comment or message me if you have any questions.

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