I’ve arrived in Japan!
11. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Well here I am, my first time in Japan and a busy two weeks ahead of me! I’ll be travelling over 2,500 KM by rail from Tokyo to Nagasaki and back again, with lots of stops in between! 🚅 🇯🇵
First stop Hakone
11. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 5 °C
First stop on my trip is Hakone and Lake Ashi! Couldn’t believe that I’m lucky to actually see Mt Fuji, often covered in clouds and fog there is a high chance that you travel this far and don’tLes mer
Hakone-Shrine
12. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C
Short walk from Motohakone is the Hakone Shrine, a beautiful lake front Shrine nestled into the side of a mountain... got here bright and early to beat the crowds and it paid off!
Ōwakudani
12. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Ōwakudani- or the ‘Great Boiling Valley’ was created 3000 years ago Kani-Yama erupted and collapsed. Today hydrogen sulphide steams from the yellow ground, and this hot water is used to boilLes mer
The Hakone Open Air Museum
12. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Open air art museum in Gora, famous for its outdoor sculptures and one of the largest collections of Picasso works! It also had an outdoor foot Onsen heated to 46* by the active volcano it was aLes mer
Chisuji-no-taki Falls
12. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
The Chisuji-no-taki Falls are named after the way that the waterfall looks like a thousands threads all falling- it was certainly worth the short walk down to the falls.
Odawara —> Kyoto
12. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C
This evening I’m travelling to Kyoto from Hakone, and it involves my first ever bullet train! The thing was SUPER FAST, travelling at over 175MPH and made the over 200 mile journey from Odawara toLes mer
Kiyomizu-dera
13. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C
Beautiful morning spent at Kiyomizu-dera, this area of Kyoto is a buzzing hive of activity perched on a hill overlooking Kyoto (despite the fact it was one hell of a climb from the city centre).
Ginkaku-ji
13. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
Little translated as ‘silver pavilion,’ it is named after the fact that the shogun wanted to line the house either silver... it was never realised.
Fushimi Inari
14. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 2 °C
Was worth getting up early to get here... nice and quiet! With seemingly endless shrine gates, this places really is a world unto itself, spread across a woody mountain.
Fushimi Inari- snacks
14. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Couldn’t help but try these traditional Japanese snacks at the outdoor market by the Fushimi Inari.
1) Takoyaki (octopus dumplings): batter mix cooked with pieces of octopus inside, these are thenLes mer
Nijo-jo Castle
14. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Taking up a large part of north western Kyoto, built in 1603 as the official residence of the first Tokugawa shogun, Ieyasu.
Lunch
14. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C
Stop for lunch, which means complete guesswork as to what your eating. I decided to visit a supermarket today and buy some random snacks, safe to say it actually turned out ok.
• Green Tea:Les mer
Kyoto Imperial Palace
14. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
The Kyoto Imperial Palace is a massive walled palace in the centre of Kyoto, was a nice walk through on my way to Daitoku-ji.
Nara Park- Tōdai-ji
15. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 4 °C
Starting the day at Nara park mainly to visit the Daibutsu “Great Buddha” at Tōdai-ji. It’s one of the largest brzone Buddha’s in the world, with a total height of 15m his ears alone are 2m-Les mer
Lunch in Osaka!
15. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
Lunch today at a standing up only ramen restaurant at the side of the street, completely no English so I just pointed and hoped for the best. After some googling I was served fried tofu with sobaLes mer
Osaka Castle
15. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 9 °C
First stop in Osaka is their beautiful castle.
Dotonbori
15. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C
Spent the night walking around the vibrant, colourful and extremely chaotic Dotonbori neighbourhood of Osaka with its millions of LED displays!! Osaka is known as ‘Japan’s kitchen’ and theLes mer
Tennoji Park
16. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
The tall Hitachi tower in the background is japan answers to the Eiffel Tower in France. I think they have forgot to include the elegance and class that I’d found in Paris.
Shin-Sekai
16. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
Centred around the 103m-high tower Tsūten-Kaku, Shin-Sekai is home to pachinko and mahjong parlours and continues to retain the nostalgia of retro Japan, with over the top signage (I thoughtLes mer
Lunch- Kushikatsu
16. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 9 °C
Lunch today, I’m having the usual ramen (I’m slightly addicted), and Kushikatsu, this is a local Osaka dish which is basically deep fried meat and veg with a lovely sweet dipping sauce. Both mealsLes mer
Abeno Harukas
16. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 8 °C
Japan’s tallest building at 300m, I would have thought it was all officers, but nope this massive 60 story building is a only a hotel and department store!
Shinkansen Osaka —> Himeji
17. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C
Early morning Shinkansen train to Himeji this morning. On the way to the station I passed one of the famous Osaka landmarks. When building a new motorway in the city centre they were met with anLes mer
Himeji Castle
17. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ☁️ 6 °C
This morning was spent at Himeji Castle, one of the few original castles left in Japan (many were destroyed during WW2). This castle is over 600 years old.
Hiroshima
17. januar 2020, Japan ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C
First stop in Hiroshima is the castle, reconstructed in 1950s after the dropping of the A bomb, this faithful rebuild is now a world heritage site.