If you’re thinking about which cities to visit in Japan, then this might help. Here’s 5 cities I recommend you to visit once you come to Japan.
As a Japanese, I have guided a few friends from another countries here (my sense of direction is horrible so I was getting lost all the time, but still I’d just go ahead and say, I GUIDED them..) and from these experiences, I chose 5 Japanese cities worth spending your time and money.
If you like history, tradition, old Japanese culture… KYOTO
Kyoto is one of the most famous cities in Japan; you can’t miss this city. Everyone visits Kyoto, as the city itself has some kind of unique atmosphere that no other cities have.
Kyoto became the capital (if the word capital is appropriate) of Japan in 794, Heian period, and since then it has always been the center of Japanese culture and history. (the capital of Japan has moved to Tokyo in 1868-1869).
In Kyoto, I took my friends to Kiyomizu temple first, as the temple and the view from “kiyomizu-no-butai”, which means the “stage of the Kiyomizu”, are fantastic. Also there are some shops around and its atmosphere is amazing.
About Kyoto, I’d talk about it more on the different entry .. too much to write.
Anyways, for those who are interested in the culture and history of Japan, and for everyone in general, Kyoto is amazing.
If you like to go shopping … TOKYO
If you like shopping, then Tokyo is the best city.. obviously. There are so many people in Tokyo, as well as shops. (Seriously, too many people! You might be shocked when you visit Tokyo for the first time.)
In 2020, Tokyo will host the Olympic game and so that many commercial facilities are constructed, such as Tokyo Midtown Hibiya (opened in March, 2018) and Shibuya Stream (opened in September, 2018); if you’re a city person, then you definitely have to visit and have a look in Tokyo.
If you like the nature.. YAKUSHIMA
Yakushima is an small island in Kagoshima Prefecture, in southern part of Japan.
It is a peaceful island with the ocean and the mountains. You could walk for 8-10 hours in the mountain with hearing birds singing.. the place is perfect for hiking, relaxing and enjoying the nature.
If you have enough time staying in Japan, this island would be a great choice. (I’ll write more on Yakushima in another entry!) Only one thing, it rains a lot there, so be prepared for it!
If you like the beach.. OKINAWA
Many Japanese people visit Okinawa during holiday to enjoy its beautiful beach.
In summer it could be really hot so please be careful! Also autumn is the season for typhoons, so I think it would be nice to go there in spring.
People in Okinawa loves singing while playing Sanshin (traditional music instrument in Okinawa), and it sounds amazing!
If you like alcohol, then you have to try Awamori, it is the traditional alcoholic beverage in Okinawa.
Drink Awamori while listening to the people singing with Sanshin.. or, just relax at the beach.. that’s what many Japanese people do (or want to do) in Okinawa during the holiday.
And.. SAPPORO
Sapporo is the city in Hokkaido, northern part of Japan. Sapporo has hot springs, nature, view, delicious food and.. well, basically everything (not so much for shopping though). That’s why Sapporo has always been one of the most popular travel destinations among Japanese people.
Also there are so many nice hostels to stay; when I visited there, I’ve stayed in three different hostels and they were all super nice with friendly staffs and clean facilities.
However, in winter it snows a LOT (Sapporo snow festival is really famous!) as it is one of the coldest cities in Japan, so think about what you want to do over there and choose the right time to visit!
If you like to eat something nice.. Everywhere!
Trying all different kinds of unique dishes .. I think that is one of the main purposes of the travel. In Japan, you can find nice restaurants everywhere.
In general, there are many people in Tokyo, so as restaurants; you can find the cheap restaurants as well as expensive ones here. Also, the second biggest Japanese city Osaka is famous for “Konamon”, which include okonomiyaki, takoyaki etc. (I like modan-yaki. It is like, okonomiyaki with the noodles inside!)
For the seafood, you go to the Hokuriku area in the winter.. People say sushi is amazing over there. Also Hokkaido for sushi, Hakata for squid sashimi, and Hiroshima for oysters .. well, Japan is surrounded by the ocean so Japan has amazing seafood!
Also, for the ramen noodles (obviously I love seafood and ramen), there are different kinds. For tonkotsu ramen (pork), Hakata in Fukuoka prefecture is famous, and for miso ramen, you can visit Sapporo.
Have A Great Trip!
I introduced five different cities (though some cities are very major) in Japan. There are so much more to see here in Japan, I hope you enjoy staying here. ありがとうございました!
