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Japan Part 2 - From Snow to Sakura

Published: 24.03.2019

Shirakawa-go (UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995)

Who would have thought: I also experience a winter wonderland on my trip! Arriving in Shirakawa-go, an original village in the middle of Japan, it was sunny but cold spring weather. When my hostel roommates woke me up very early the next morning and I saw that everything outside was white, I almost forgave them for the rude awakening. (You know me.. you never joke about waking up early with the Gablers or Knavas! 😉)

The hike through the snow up to the viewpoint was definitely worth it! We had a view of the whole village with its lovely houses. Here, all the houses are built according to ancient tradition, entirely of wood without any metal parts. The roofs are made extra thick with straw to withstand the heavy snowfall in winter, and most of the houses are over 250 years old. The roofs are said to resemble hands in prayer due to their special angle. In the village, there was a beautiful open-air museum where you could see the houses from the inside and warm up by a traditional Japanese fireplace. I spent the days together with Kosta from Serbia, Isabel from Spain, and Roscoe from Taiwan.


Shirakawa-go
Shirakawa-go
Inside one of the houses. Silk used to be spun in the attic.
Inside one of the houses. Silk used to be spun in the attic.
Old moss-covered thick thatched roofs
Old moss-covered thick thatched roofs
Kosta and me
Kosta and me
Snow
Snow
The many Gassho-zukuri houses of Shirakawa-go
The many Gassho-zukuri houses of Shirakawa-go
Warming up by the fireplace
Warming up by the fireplace
Isabel, Kosta, Roscoe, and me in Shirakawa-go
Isabel, Kosta, Roscoe, and me in Shirakawa-go
View of the mountains
View of the mountains
Playing with kids in a restaurant. Kendama, a traditional Japanese toy with a wooden ball and countless variations! Of course, I had to get one. And Roscoe was so kind to bring me one.
Playing with kids in a restaurant. Kendama, a traditional Japanese toy with a wooden ball and countless variations! Of course, I had to get one. And Roscoe was so kind to bring me one.

Takayama

Cozy little town with a historic center, a few nice temples, and bridges. Here, I stumbled upon a temple that had a sign advertising calligraphy courses. It was actually closed because the teacher (a monk) was conducting a ceremony. However, his wife, who works at the temple, was kind enough to show me around and take me to the calligraphy studio. It was a real experience. I was alone in a calligraphy studio, essentially receiving private lessons, and I could start my first attempts in peace while looking at a Zen garden. Later, the monk joined me and we chatted, and then he decided which of my attempts was the most beautiful. He pressed the temple's stamp onto the paper and wrote my name in Japanese underneath. It was fascinating to learn about the meaning of my "Japanese" name and the deeper meaning of the symbol I had chosen. A very spiritual moment. ☺️

Takayama Jin
Takayama Jin'ya. Administrative building and residence of the governor during the Edo period (1603-1868)
Office
Office
Rabbit nail heads. Rabbits are said to bring joy and luck. That
Rabbit nail heads. Rabbits are said to bring joy and luck. That's why there are 152 of them in the building.
A toilet (not for use)
A toilet (not for use)
Old kitchen
Old kitchen
Standardized straw rice baskets for taxation purposes
Standardized straw rice baskets for taxation purposes
Just missed it. The Hina-Takayama dolls festival takes place on April 3rd, 2019
Just missed it. The Hina-Takayama dolls festival takes place on April 3rd, 2019
The Daiou-ji Temple in Takayama
The Daiou-ji Temple in Takayama
Me in the calligraphy studio
Me in the calligraphy studio
The master and the student. The monk decided which one is the most beautiful and stamped the temple
The master and the student. The monk decided which one is the most beautiful and stamped the temple's stamp and wrote my name in Japanese underneath.
My "masterpiece"
My masterpiece
Funny statue on the bridge. The one on the other side had very long legs. It comes from a Japanese legend. The story goes that they work together for fishing. Long Arm sits on the shoulders of Long Leg, who waits in the water while Long Arm catches the fish.
Funny statue on the bridge. The one on the other side had very long legs. It comes from a Japanese legend. The story goes that they work together for fishing. Long Arm sits on the shoulders of Long Leg, who waits in the water while Long Arm catches the fish.
Origami Yoda
Origami Yoda

Off to Nagano to see the snow monkeys

Nagano itself didn't impress me as much. It might be interesting for Olympic fans. But that wasn't my main goal anyway. My main goal was the Snow Monkey Park in Jigokudani Yaen Kōen (Yamanouchi) where you can observe wild macaques bathing in a hot spring to keep warm, just like we humans do in a spa.

So, I took the first train at 6:40 to Jigokudani to increase my chances of seeing them in the cold weather. Unfortunately, despite my arrival, it was already too warm and they were only sitting at the edge and not in the water. But it was still an incredibly beautiful experience to watch the monkeys groom, scratch, wrestle, sleep, climb, relax, and eat. There were even a few babies 🥰.

After the little "hike" in the mountains, I returned to Nagano, passing by the beautiful snow-capped mountains on the horizon.

Unfortunately, it was too warm to see the monkeys in the hot water.
Unfortunately, it was too warm to see the monkeys in the hot water.
Nagano Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
Nagano Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
🥰
🥰
Relaxing by the river
Relaxing by the river
Zenko-ji in Nagano
Zenko-ji in Nagano
Roku Jizo
Roku Jizo


Last stop in Japan: Tokyo

I took the Shinkansen 🚅 and arrived in Tokyo at lightning speed.

Once again, I was lucky to have nice travel companions and spent 2 days with a group of New Zealanders from the hostel and one day with the lovely Isabel from Spain (she works for Disney World Paris! What a job 😃!!)

My impression of Tokyo after 5 days: it's totally crazy and beautiful at the same time. It's completely different from the other major cities in Asia that I've visited so far. It can be very stressful and crowded here, for example at the Shibuya Crossing, the Omote-Sando shopping street, in the anime entertainment district of Akihabara, or in the metro. But unlike some other Asian cities, there are some quiet and beautiful retreats here, and the level of stress is much more manageable due to the Japanese politeness and orderliness. For example, people don't push and rush in the metro, and in some trains, you could hear a pin drop because everyone is quietly glued to their smartphones and no one says a word.

Tokyo can be explored well by visiting its different neighborhoods, strolling through them, and soaking up their different moods and atmospheres. The most fun parts were definitely Akihabara (entertainment/anime stuff), Shinjuku with its sea of lights from advertisements, robot restaurants, etc., and Shibuya with the world's busiest intersection, the "Times Square of Tokyo." You dive into the crowds and scramble with hundreds of others. From a shopping center, you have a view of the spectacle from above. One of the many fun Tokyo high-tech experiences was eating at Genki Sushi, where you order on a touchscreen tablet and the sushi arrives at your seat in a few seconds via a rail system. Everything is automated. And really tasty. The 6-story shopping centers like Yodobashi Akiba or Don Quijote, where you can get everything from cameras, electronics, toys, cosmetics, to food, were also not bad at all.

I can't describe all of my impressions here because Tokyo had so much to offer!

But the abundance of cherry blossoms (Sakura) and the current hype around them are definitely worth mentioning! I've wanted to be in Japan during cherry blossom season since high school, and the dream has definitely come true. I caught the best week for it in Tokyo and had already seen some beautiful cherry or plum blossoms at some places before. 🌸 There is even a separate website that tells you exactly where and when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom in Japan. Everyone flocks to the public parks to picnic under the trees during the hanamis, both day and night, because the trees are beautifully lit up. It's quite lively, and sake and beer flow 😉. So, the Japanese also know how to celebrate 😀.

I was very impressed by the fashion sense and special style of people in Tokyo, and somewhat puzzled by the questionable dog trends.

Lastly, something about the food: my standard emergency food was the very popular Onigiri 🍙 from the 7 Eleven. Rice with various fillings and a nori seaweed wrap. Low-budget travelers in Japan seem to eat it most of the time 😂. I also found a few excellent vegetarian ramen, udon, and soba noodles.

If you love meat, rice, and fish, you're in the right place in Japan. Overall, it was too vegetable-light for me. However, the few exceptions for really good fish were definitely worth it. In New Zealand or when I'm home, I'll definitely return to my vegetarian lifestyle for various reasons.

By the way, finally, finally, finally, tomorrow my flight to New Zealand departs where Nico and I will see each other again after 2.5 months!!! 😀😀 You can't imagine how much I'm looking forward to seeing him!!! Soon, we'll have our first joint New Zealand blog 😊.

So... now I'm going to meet Takehiko and Cheko in the park for a nice meal to conclude my fantastic trip to Japan. 🌸

Sakura in the evening at Ueno Park
Sakura in the evening at Ueno Park
Ueno Park
Ueno Park
Akihabara
Akihabara
Tokyo
Tokyo's capsule vending machines with toys, etc.
Yodobashi shopping center
Yodobashi Shopping Center
Hayden, Julia, and Sam from NZ
Hayden, Julia, and Sam from NZ
Nakagin Capsule Tower. It was never completed and is now a ghost house.
Nakagin Capsule Tower. It was never completed and is now a ghost house.
In Hamarikyu Garden
In Hamarikyu Garden
Ramen restaurant
Ramen restaurant
Tokyo Tower in the style of the Eiffel Tower
Tokyo Tower in the style of the Eiffel Tower
Cherry blossoms in Chidorigafuchi Park
Cherry blossoms in Chidorigafuchi Park
The bustling Omote-sando street
The bustling Omote-sando street
Wedding at Meiji Temple
Wedding at Meiji Temple
Meiji Temple
Meiji Temple
Affluent district, Prada shop
Affluent district, Prada shop
Nezu Museum
Nezu Museum
Garden at Nezu Museum
Garden at Nezu Museum
Nezu Museum. Including Hina dolls, bronze from the Chinese Shang Dynasty, floral elements in Buddhist art
Nezu Museum. Including Hina dolls, bronze from the Chinese Shang Dynasty, floral elements in Buddhist art
Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station. Who else has seen the movie and cried? 🥺
Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station. Who else has seen the movie and cried? 🥺
High-tech sushi restaurant
High-tech sushi restaurant
Shibuya Crossing
Shibuya Crossing
Human scramble
Human scramble
Isabel and me at the Sunday festival in Yoyogi Park
Isabel and me at the Sunday festival in Yoyogi Park
Alternative hippie festival in Yoyogi Park
Alternative hippie festival in Yoyogi Park
In the park
In the park
Hanami party in Yoyogi Park (who else thinks of Yomogi capsules? 😅)
Hanami party in Yoyogi Park (who else thinks of Yomogi capsules? 😅)
Sakura, Ueno Park
Sakura, Ueno Park
Everyone wants a piece of the cherry blossom
Everyone wants a piece of the cherry blossom
View from my hostel of the 2nd tallest tower in the world, Tokyo Skytree
View from my hostel of the 2nd tallest tower in the world, Tokyo Skytree
Dog at the hostel. 😳
Dog at the hostel. 😳
Me, Takehiko, and Cheko on my last day in Tokyo in Shinjuku Park
Me, Takehiko, and Cheko on my last day in Tokyo in Shinjuku Park
🌸🌸🌸
🌸🌸🌸
Less crowded Shinjuku Park
Less crowded Shinjuku Park
Shinjuku Park
Shinjuku Park
Shinjuku Park
Shinjuku Park
Farewell dinner in Japan
Farewell dinner in Japan


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