Japan is a fun, animated abundance of colours, flavours, styles and traditions. It’s one of the richest lands for tourists to discover and more and more Aussies are keen to take it in.
But which parts should they visit first? What should they save for a second visit? Or a third? Because you know what they say, one trip to Japan is never enough.
With so much to do and see – and so many things truly unique to the destination – Japan National Tourism Organization recently decided to help Agents understand the destination and its offerings a little better by sending them on one of two famils.
One itinerary took 10 consultants down the ever-popular Golden Route, while the other took another 10 on an exploration of an up and coming yet completely traditional side of the country.
We spoke to Agents that took part on the famils and here’s a day-by-day breakdown of what they thought:
Traditional Japan Day 1 – Japan Airlines + Bullet Trains
Andrea Cameron, Alpha Travel Perth
Today was mostly travel. We travelled from Sydney Airport to Narita Airport via Japan Airlines and then caught the Narita Express (NEX) to Tokyo and travelled onwards via another bullet train to Nagano.
I thought Japan Airlines’ service was excellent. The seats were very comfortable, staff was polite and everything was just beautiful, I just felt thankful the whole time. The food on the flight was excellent, I’d say they even overfed us (laughs) and they had good movies.
Catching the bullet trains, I was surprised at how incredibly efficient they are. They’re clean and it was a nice feeling to know that our suitcases were secure in the baggage area, not like in Europe where you keep an eye on them the whole time and you’re too scared to close your eyes and go to sleep.
The only thing I’d warn my clients about is the train stations. They can be a little bit overwhelming but even without a guide, I think we would have been able to navigate our way to Platform 20.
Most of our clientele is a lot older demographic, so I don’t think I would send them straight to Nagano. I’d get them to stay in Tokyo for a few days, get their bearings and then travel down to Nagano to explore the countryside.
Golden Route Day 1 – Flying + Luxury at the Hilton
Jules Montgomery from Cruiseabout
Japan Airlines has one of the best Economy Classes. The aircraft was a 777-300 very modern with in-seat entertainment system and seats that are very comfortable. I am not a size eight model and therefore normally economy seats are “firm” for me however JAL has a great width and pitch which lead me to make the decision to travel with JAL for future trips. The inflight catering was fresh and inspiring. I am Lactose intolerant and I was impressed when the cabin manager came to my seat soon after take-off to confirm my meal request. She then placed a sticker on the top of my seat with the Lactose information to ensure no other staff member served me catering with Dairy. After meals I settled in to a Movie Marathon and watched three movies prior to arrival into Narita.
Hilton Odaiba – Odaiba is in a fabulous location in Tokyo to stay and the Hilton has a wonderful location overlooking the Bay while close to Tokyo Big Sight. It is an elegant hotel with impeccable service and stylish rooms. The view of the resort and shopping area is from every room. The location could not be better as it caters for business travellers and tourists equally. The train station is connected to the Hotel by a walk way as is the shopping centre.
The size of the room being 40 sqm is exceptionally spacious with an entry, large bathroom with separate shower room, work desk, balcony and chairs placed to take advantage of the lovely view. Australians love their tea and coffee and I was pleased to see a kettle, tea and cups provided. The amenities in the bathroom ensured if you “forgot your toothbrush” the Hilton had it covered. I will be travelling back to Japan with my family and the Hilton is my preference for Tokyo… the rooms are spacious for families and the hotel has much to offer. The dining with buffet selection for dinner and breakfast was catered to offer everyone many choices with a Japanese and European Western menu, It was wonderful to meet the JNTO local staff and also Hilton representatives and I appreciated they took time out to spend time with us.
Traditional Japan Day 2 – Climbing + Tateyama
Carly Skurnik from STA Travel & Belinda Ferguson from Clayfield Travel Professionals
Carly: As a first timer to Japan it was a little strange to start my journey outside of Tokyo. We caught a bus from Nagano to Tateyama Station where we used various forms of transport to make our way up the mountain. We had lunch at a restaurant near the top of the mountain and then travelled to Kanazawa.
It’s strange to start like this because the image I think most people have of Japan or the expectation is more Tokyo – the lights, the people and the energy, but we’re in the mountainside. In saying that, it’s beautiful and I guess in a way it’s like doing the destination in reverse, seeing the country before moving into the city. It’s a way to ease into the destination.
Belinda: Sometimes people don’t realise how diverse Japan is. I use to live here many years ago, but I’ve never seen Tateyama Mountain before so this itinerary has been great for me. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to first timers, perhaps people that are more independent and people that have been to Japan before.
Carly: I’d say the same. If I were to recommend it, it might be to an older client or those who love nature and walking like me.
Belinda: I loved that we had such beautiful weather, that was unusual and we had no wind. If it had been windy we would have been pretty cold up there but really wasn’t cold at all. We got very lucky.
Golden Route Day 2 – Sake, Sake + Sake
Erica Slutzkin from FBI Travel
Today we took a tour of the Kamotsuru Sake Brewery and what I loved most about the tour was the actual process of making Sake and how difficult it all is with a lot of love and care at every stage.
We were shown a video and in it are the men (women don’t make Sake) who just take their time and are very specific in all aspects of Sake.
Traditional Japan Day 3 – Tea Tasting, Ninja Temples + a Traditional Stay
Olivia Burke from JTB Australia
Today was a nice relaxing day in Kanazawa. It was very easy going, starting in Kenrokuen Garden, which was actually busier than I expected. The autumn leaves weren’t in full colour yet, but I found the Garden is s really well laid out and really easy to get around.
We took part in a tea ceremony while we were at the Garden. It was nice, I would have liked to have had a traditional set-up where they make the tea in front of you but it was beautiful to be able to look out at the Garden while we sip on our tea.
For clients, I’d definitely recommend it. It’s the easiest Garden to reach, one bullet train from Tokyo to Kanazawa. I’d tell them to allow for two hours to look around also I’d suggest contacting Kanazawa Tourism Association or JNTO for a guidebook on the city and the Garden.
From there, we visited the Geisha district, which was really beautiful and quaint before taking a tour of the Ninja Temple. It was interesting, but I’d advise travellers of the language barrier. The guides aren’t allowed to speak English and no translation is allowed (although English printouts are available, which explain the contents of the guided tour). However, seeing the little secret passage ways was pretty cool.
The Chirihama Coastal Drive was also beautiful, definitely worth driving along there yourself. The road rules are similar to Australia and it’s easy to make your way from Kanazawa to the Coastal Drive and from there it’s just one way to Kaga City.
Once in Kaga City, I found Kagaonsen-kyo to be a little overwhelming compared to some other traditional Japanese stays. The entrance is so modern, but then the room is huge and it has an absolutely stunning view of the lake.
I’d probably recommend Kanazawa and Kagaonsen-kyo to people interested in history and gardens.
Golden Route Day 3 – Peace Park, Cycling + An Old Factory
Michelle Van den Heuvel from Flight Centre & Natalie Wykes from Macarthur Travel
Michelle: Hiroshima was a huge highlight for me, I would’ve liked to stay here longer. The city itself is beautiful, but the Peace Park is so touching, and heart wrenching. We went to Shimanami Kaido Cycling for a cycling tour from Mukaishima to Innoshima, and it was wonderful, I really recommend the cycling. It’s a great way to see the area.
The restaurant we went to today, Onomichi, was amazing. It was traditional Japanese food in an old factory that had been converted to a restaurant. And finally, we took the bullet train to Shin-Osaka, which is always fun. You definitely have to move pretty quickly to get on in time, which is so convenient and easy to use.
Natalie: I loved visiting Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. I found it very interesting and very moving. It was so sad reading some of the stories of parents losing their children and the amount of lives lost. The stories of the people suffering for years after because of the radiation was awful. It was definitely a place of interest for many people and will be recommending to my clients.
The cycling in Shimanami Kaido was a very easy ride with some lovely views. It was very flat and so you don’t need to be an experienced rider to be able to do this ride.
The bullet train to Shin-Osaka was very comfortable and very fast. I would definitely recommend this to my clients as a means of getting from one point to the other.
Traditional Japan Day 4 – Temples + Geishas
Gemma Early, Flight Centre
We arrived in Kyoto the night before and spent the morning dressed as Geishas at Fushimi Inari Shrine. We walked the quarter, had a quick photo session and then made our way through the markets there. We then caught the train to Kiyomizudera Temple and had dinner that night at a restaurant in Kyoto.
Getting dressed in the Kimono was special because it wasn’t just putting on a dress, aside from makeup the entire experience was very traditional. Although it was difficult initially to wear the Kimono, it was very tight at the waist, I think young girls with their mothers would enjoy the experience because it was quite special walking up to the Shrine and then exploring the markets in the outfit.
Catching the train to Kiyomizudera Temple was a great experience because it gave us another chance to see and be part of the hustle and bustle. For clients that are unfamiliar with Japan’s stations and public transport, I’d recommend they log into their wi-fi and use Google, which will give them all the information they need from which platform to how many stops to your destination.
Visiting Kiyomizudera Temple, I think it’s an important temple to see because of the view and its special artefacts. It is a pretty long walk from the station, so I’d warn clients about that or advise them to get a taxi – they’ll still have to walk up the street with shops to reach the temple but it’s not as far as the station.
The only thing I’d have changed about the day would be visiting Fushimi Inari Shrine a little earlier. If you get there early it can be a lot quieter and it’s beautiful. I’d also encourage them to get lunch at the markets near the shrine, the food is fresh and looks delicious.
Golden Route Day 4 – Shrines + Street Food
Avia Schuster from Gullivers Sport Travel
An interesting day, we visited Fushimi Inari Shrine dressed in Kimono, which was the highlight of my trip.
Kyoto to me was very different to other cities, it was more of a traditional Japan which is what I wanted to see. Learning the history and learning about the symbols, and what the foxes at the shrine symbolises interested me a lot.
Dressing up in traditional Japanese clothing made me feel like a local in town. As I walked through the streets in my Kimono, trying the local street food, paying homage at the shrine this is what I would recommend my clients.
Traditional Japan Day 5 – Sightseeing, Cooking + Sky-high views
Alex Lee, Travel & Cruise Bright
Today we caught the train to Osaka, which was quite quick from Kyoto, only about half an hour.
We had the chance to do a little bit of shopping in Osaka before we did Okonomiyaki, which was where we made our own food at a restaurant, it was delicious. We then went to Umeda Sky Building for an amazing, 360-degree view of the city and wrapped up the day with a hotel inspection of the Hilton Shinjuku.
It was my first time in Osaka, I thought it was massive. I knew it was very industrial, but it was nice to see it in person and it definitely had a lot more leisure aspects as far as shopping, food and culture compared to the previous cities on the itinerary.
We had around six hours in Osaka, but I would definitely recommend a client spend at least one to two nights in the city so they can see things like Osaka Castle, the markets and I’ve heard the street food at night is really good.
So far, I’m really impressed by the public transport in Japan. It’s always efficient, always on time, quick, clean and comfortable. Navigating around the stations isn’t easy, but it’s definitely manageable. The signs at stations are in English, as are the ticket systems.
I’m really excited about staying at the Hilton Shinjuku tonight. It’s a beautiful property with amazing rooms and seven newly renovated restaurants. It made a very good first impression.
Golden Route Day 5 – Mt Fuji, Lakes + Robot Restaurants
Jacqui Smith from Integrated Travel Services
My favourite day – although busy was the day we travelled from Kyoto to Tokyo. It was a busy day – jam packed with travelling and sightseeing – but my favourite!
In the morning after a quick breakky at the hotel Keihan Kyoto – a small modern hotel located near Kyoto Station – very handy, We gathered our bags and walked across the road and waited for the Shinkansen (bullet train). It was amazing – so quick (up to 320kms/per hour) It’s hard to believe we don’t have anything similar at home – Japan have had these trains for over 50 years! Mt Fuji made an appearance towards the end of the train trip and cameras were whipped out to capture a picture – she can be very elusive apparently with clouds covering her a lot of the time.
In just over two hours we were at Odawara Station. From there we travelled by coach on winding roads through peaceful mountains to Lake Ashinoko – Hakone. We were hosted by Hakone Sightseeing Cruise and they pulled out all stops – a yummy pre cruise lunch of fresh local trout and afterwards we were given access to the 1st class lounge of their Pirate Ship – Victory for a cruise across the lake to Kojiri. We met our bus driver there and then drove the short distance to Owakudani, a volcanic valley with active sulphur vents and hot springs – very interesting and smelly.
Then back on the bus for the drive to Tokyo which is about two hours – time for a quick nap to recharge for…
Tokyo is exactly what I hoped for – we arrived at dusk and drove through the bright lights to the Shinjuku’s famous Robot Restaurant. I have never seen anything so crazy – and fun – words cannot explain what was seen during the show (look it up on Youtube). Who thinks up this stuff? It’s a must do for any tourist visiting Tokyo – and the shows change all the time so if you are a repeat visitor you can go again.
Traditional Japan Day 6 – Harajuku + Photobooths
Brad Sward from Student Flights
We had half a day to explore Tokyo and we did what I always recommend to clients. Jump on a train and get yourself over to Harajuku, walk across and see the Meijijinju Garden. Check it out and if you have time to explore it, but if you don’ then go straight down Takeshita Street to check out the weirdness of Harajuku. We saw a lot of it and it’s incredible.
Then walk down the backstreets of Harajuku and Shibuya to see the Shibuya crossing and check out the shopping options, in particular Don Quijote in Shibuya, which is the biggest one in Tokyo. It’s six floors of weirdness.
For anyone who gets a chance to stay longer, especially for first timers, I recommend at least four nights for Tokyo. See the Shinjuku area, which is where the Robot Restaurant is and go to the Golden Gai area for all the lights and spectacular scenery. There’s also Tokyo Disneyland for people into Disney and the Imperial Gardens in the centre of Tokyo. My must see is Odaiva – that’s out in the middle of Tokyo Harbour and it’s kind of a futuristic city where some of the TV stations are set up, there’s a shopping centre and a mini replica of the Statue of Liberty.
Golden Route Day 6 – Shinjuku
Toma Burgess from Insider Journeys
I loved Tokyo the most, an enticing big city with bright lights that has surprises around every corner. It really gave me that thrill you seek when travelling within only a few minutes of hopping out of our coach in downtown Shinjuku. I would recommend to clients – stay as long as possible.
You could spend five days in Tokyo alone, exploring all the different areas and really immersing yourself in the city and its food and culture – from its young & hip areas of Harajuku to the red light districts ‘Golden Gai’, little streets filled with tiny bars and the many gardens & inner city forests that tower over neighbouring streets and have hidden shrines to explore, there is so much on offer.
Click here for more pictures from the Traditional Japan famil.