Seven Famous Japan Landmarks You Need To See

Above, the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Whether or not one has visited Japan, there are some landmarks that people who visit Japan should see. Some are man-made and some are natural, each should be put on one's "bucket list" of things to see.

That is the topic of an article in The Charlotte Observer.

They begin with:

Japan is filled with rich history and stunning natural sights — from snow-capped volcanic peaks to ancient temples and ultramodern towers. Whether you dream of climbing a legendary mountain, feeding sacred deer or watching a torii gate appear to float on the sea, these seven landmarks belong on every traveler’s list.

To see what they are, go here.

Japan’s Summer Holiday Travel Rush Is Here

Above, the famous Miyajima Island torii gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The summer travel rush in Japan has just started. 

Tourists, foreign and locals, are flocking to places around the country and filling up bullet trains and other public transportation.

According to Travel and Tour World:

Japan’s summer travel surge is here, and it’s feeling hot literally and figuratively. Trains and planes to Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka are sold out. Families are reuniting, tourists are sightseeing, and everybody is moving, moving, moving. Long check-in lines, crammed concourses, and sold-out flights tell you this season is all systems go.

Last Saturday, JR Tokyo Station buzzed loud. Every Nozomi shinkansen seat zooming to Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka disappeared. Travelers formed long queues for unreserved seats on other lines, turning platforms into crowded waiting zones. Doesn’t stop there: expressway bumper-to-bumper jams sent drivers cursing. Many ducked into waiting rooms and concourses, seeking A/C relief from the summer furnace.

I have been to Japan during the summer once (that was the first G-TOUR in 2004) and it was very hot, especially in Kyoto. My preferred seasons for Japan travel are spring and autumn.

To read more, go here. 

Japan's Miyajima Island Imposes Tourist Tax

Above, Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those wanting to visit the Itsukushima Shrine on Japan's Miyajima Island, they will have to pay a little bit more to do so.

A new tourist tax will be imposed on tourists heading there.

From the South China Morning Post:

A scenic island in southwestern Japan’s Hiroshima prefecture has started to impose a tax of 100 yen (67 US cents) on all visitors to rein in overtourism after a trip by the leaders of the G7 countries to the area triggered a travel rush there.

Authorities in Miyajima, home to the Unesco-listed Itsukushima Shrine, which appears to float on the waters of a narrow bay at high water, said the levy would be added to the ferry fare to the island.

They also said local residents, office workers, preschoolers and students on schools excursions were exempt from the tax that was expected to generate 300 million yen (US$2 million) in annual revenue for the city of Hatsukaichi, which oversees the tourist destination.

I visited Miyajima Island in 2004 with G-TOUR that was sponsored by G-FAN magazine. 

To read more, go here.

SoloSophie: Guide To Miyajima Island

Above, the torii gate and Itsukushima Shrine from the shuttle boat to Miyajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2004, a group of 60 Godzilla fans toured Japan on an organized tour by Daikaiju Enterprises, Ltd., the publisher of G-FAN magazine.

One of the tour's stops was a visit to Miyajima Island near Hiroshima. 

It was an interesting place with many deer wandering around the island's village near the Itsukushima Shrine.

SoloSophie has posted a guide to Miyajima Island for those considering a visit.

It begins with:

Wild deer, a breathtaking Torii gate that look as if its floating on the water, and one of the most breathtaking mountain hikes in Japan: there’s no shortage of things to do in Miyajima to impress even the most discerning of travellers. Easy to visit over the course of a day, here’s your guide to the best things to do on Miyajima Island.

To read the full guide, go here. 

Miyajima's Otorii Gate Scaffolding Removed

Above, Miyajima's otorii gate in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the highlights of G-TOUR in 2004 was a boat trip to Miyajima near Hiroshima. There, we wandered around the Itsukushima Shrine and viewed the famous otorii gate on the island.

The otorii gate has been undergoing restoration since 2019 and recently had scaffolding removed.

According to Time Out:

Miyajima’s Itsukushima Shrine is undoubtedly one of Japan’s most beautiful destinations. The Shinto shrine is best known for its massive vermilion otorii gate that stands in the sea a short distance from the main shrine. 

Since June 2019, the otorii gate has been covered in scaffolding as part of the long, arduous process of restoration. The renovation work is scheduled to be fully completed by the end of 2022, but folks in the area have noticed that most of the scaffolding has been taken down over the last week. 

To read more, go here.

Japan To Further Ease Border Curbs

Above, Miyajima's Great Torii Gate at Itsukushima Shrine. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Japan is still timidly easing border restrictions for foreign tourism. Visas are still required. Visa waivers for some nations had been suspended during the pandemic.

Reuters reported:

TOKYO, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Japan will further ease border controls from Sept. 7 by raising the ceiling for daily entrants to 50,000 and freeing up entry for travellers from all countries on package tours without the need for guides, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after returning to work from a COVID-19 infection, Kishida said Japan will proceed with further easing steps, taking into account virus infections in and outside of the country, travellers' demand and border controls adopted by other countries.

This is still not sufficient enough to draw more foreign tourists. The Japanese government is hoping that this would draw people in to exploit the weak yen.

G-TOUR 4 had to be cancelled due to the restrictions imposed on foreign tourism. It was planned to take place this autumn.

To read more, go here.

Japan's Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Above, Itsukushima Shrine's grand vermillion torii gate at Miyajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of these days, tourists will flock again to Japan to enjoy its scenic beauty and take in Japanese culture.

Until then, all we can do is read about it and catch a video of Japan on YouTube and other sources.

Japan has a number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for people to visit and Time Out Tokyo has listed the best ones.

They begin with:

It’s no secret that Japan is filled with some of the most picturesque sightseeing spots in the world – we’re talking soothing bamboo forests, summer festivals and winter villages. So many of Japan’s historic sites have been damaged or destroyed in natural disasters and wars, so the ones that still remain are considered rare and therefore special.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, or Unesco, aims to preserve global cultural, historical or natural landmarks by designating them as World Heritage Sites. And Japan boasts a whopping 23 World Heritage Sites, ranging from traditional villages to Shinto and Buddhist shrines and temples, and more.

Thanks to preservation efforts, both tourists and residents can still visit these ancient sites and learn about the history of Japan. Here are some of Japan’s best Unesco World Heritage Sites, from the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to Kyoto’s ancient monuments. 

To read more, go here. 

 

JR Central To Launch Online Shinkansen Reservation Service

Above, the torii gate at Miyajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are planning a trip to Japan and whose itineraries include taking a shinkansen from Tokyo to Hiroshima, and points in-between, they no longer have to be in Japan to make train reservations.

Japan Today reported:

TOKYO - Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) will launch an official online reservation service allowing oversea travelers to purchase, before coming to Japan and from all over the world, tickets for the Tokaido Sanyo shinkansen (bullet train) which runs through Japan’s golden route connecting Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata and other destinations. 

The shinkansen offers high speed and convenience. Trains run frequently and on time, seating is readily available, and travel is comfortable, safe and enjoyable. It is an efficient and reliable choice for long distances as well as short day trips.

To read more, go here. 

Foreigners May Have To Pay Entry Taxes In Some Japan Locales

Above, visitors may soon have to pay a ¥100 tax to visit Miyajima. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Several years ago, Japan made a concerted effort to increase tourism into the country.

Well, they have and that opened up a "can of worms". So now different local governments are considering additional taxes on tourists to address problems that increased tourism is causing.

Nikkei Asian Review reported:

HIROSHIMA, Japan -- Local governments at some of Japan most popular tourist hotspots are considering extra taxes on visitors to protect the environment and help deal with overtourism. 

Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecture is home to Miyajima, known as one of the three most scenic places in Japan. The city aims to introduce a new tax in spring 2021, while areas in Okinawa are implementing levies of their own. 

Japan has experienced a tourism boom over the past several years, straining the infrastructure of some places popular with overseas visitors. Overcrowded streets, heavier traffic and a shortage of restrooms, along with noise and waste pollution and environmental degradation, risk causing trouble between locals and visitors. The number of overseas visitors is likely to increase with the approach of the 2020 Olympics. 

Hatsukaichi is considering an entry tax of 100 yen ($) for every person coming to Miyajima. It had mulled the same plan in 2008 and 2015, but shelved the idea both times.

¥100 is roughly 92 cents.

To read more, go here. 

Despite Restoration Work, Miyajima's Beauty Can Still Be Enjoyed

Above, O-torii at Miyajima in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2004, G-TOUR made a stop at Miyajima near Hiroshima to take in the sights, including the O-torii Gate and Itsukushima Shrine. Access to Miyajima is by ferry boat.

Currently, restoration work is taking place at the popular tourist attraction, but as Stars & Stripes (a.k.a. Stripes Japan) points out, the work shouldn't detract from the beauty of them.

Above, Itsukushima and O-torii from the ferry. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They begin with:

The floating O-torii and Itsukushima Shrine at Miyajima south of Hiroshima are two of Japan’s most popular attractions, but ongoing restoration work there shouldn’t stop Americans stationed in Japan from planning a visit. 

Miyajima, or the “Island of the Gods,” is one of the three most scenic places in Japan, according to the island’s official tourist website, and a prime destination for an easy day trip or weekend getaway for those at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni. 

It’s especially popular for professional and amateur photographers who make their way around the picturesque landscape. 

The most popular photo subject is the O-torii, which appears to float gently on the waves when the tide is high. The bright orange structure, which stands nearly 60 feet tall in stark contrast to the dark green, forested hillsides behind it, was built in 1875 and is the eighth O-torii at Miyajima. The first was built in 1168. 

Other photo ops include Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its brilliant orange pillars and wooden walkways. There’s also the five-story Tahoto Pagoda, which pokes above the cherry trees, and the many scenic orange footbridges in Momijidani Park that cross a small river. They’re perfect for family photos.

To read more, go here. 

Time Out Tokyo: Guide To Hiroshima

Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who are planning a vacation to Japan and who also plan to venture out of Tokyo, Hiroshima is a place that is worth a visit.

I visited Hiroshima in 2004 with G-TOUR and it was a memorable experience.

A guide to Hiroshima has been posted by Time Out Tokyo and they begin it with:

After the devastating atomic bombing of World War II, Hiroshima has risen again to become a beacon of world peace, and one of Japan’s top tourist destinations 

Take a trip down to southern Honshu and explore the sights and sounds of Hiroshima, an city of historical significance not just in Japan but in the world as well. The city was decimated by one of the only two atomic bombs ever deployed in war, and this historic bombing led to the end of World War II. Today, the city has been completely rebuilt, but the war remnants are preserved as they were to not only remind us all the horrors of war but also promote everlasting world peace. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial was designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1996 and is now a significant landmark of the world. 

A regular stop on the Japan tourist trail, Hiroshima still holds many sights and attractions, with lots of top restaurants and hidden bars dotted throughout the city. Let's not forget about Miyajima either – the sacred island is home to many tame, free-roaming deer and great temples. Planning on a visit? Add this list to your itinerary now.

To read more, go here. 

Itsukushima Shrine Undergoing Repairs

Above, the famous Itsukushima torii gate in 2004. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the stops we made during 2004's G-TOUR was the Itsukushima Shrine with its torii gate near Hiroshima.

For the first time in 70 years, the first "large-scale" repair work on the gate began on Monday.

According to News On Japan:

A major renovation project has begun at Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Hiroshima Prefecture, western Japan. 

Last rebuilt in 1875, the shrine's grand torii gate has suffered damage from exposure to seawater and insects. Past inspections found cavities inside its pillars.

To read more, go here. 

TripAdvisor: Western Japan Dominate With 30 Tourist Draws

Above, Miyajima's famous "floating" torii gate. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It looks like western Japan is dominating with 30 tourist attractions, according to travel website TripAdvisor.

The Asahi Shimbun reported:

West is best for tourist attractions in Japan, according to international users of TripAdvisor, with eight of the top 10 sightseeing spots lying on the western side of the archipelago. 

TripAdvisor, one of the world's largest travel websites, on June 12 published its annual list of the top 30 tourist draws for foreign travelers based on visitor feedback posted in languages other than Japanese. 

Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine in Kyoto, renowned for a large number of vermilion “torii” gates in its grounds, tops the list for the fifth year in a row. 

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, including the Atomic Bomb Dome and the peace memorial museum, ranked second, followed by the Itsukushimajinja shrine, famous for its “floating” gate on the shore of the Miyajima district in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, completing a western Japan top three.

To read more, go here. 

Visitors Damaging Japan's Famous Torii Gate

Above, the Itsukushima Shrine Torii Gate during high tide. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to the Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island near Hiroshima are unintentionally causing damage to the iconic torii gate which may eventually cause it to collapse.

According to RocketNews24:

Hiroshima Prefecture’s Miyajima, though, is absolutely worth visiting, regardless of what specifically drew you to Japan. The mountainous island is covered with centuries-old shrines and lush forests, and wild yet calm deer walk through the town where the ferry port is located. And then there’s the sight of Itsukushima Shrine’s torii gate rising from the waters of the bay, one of the most iconic views in all of Japan. 

When the tide is low, you can actually walk all the way out to the base of the torii, where travelers routinely snap close-up photos of its orange-painted timbers. 

But because the lower part of the gate spends much of the day underwater, the wood is cracked and warped in spots. Unfortunately, some tourists have taken to cramming coins into the cracks, creating an unsightly mess that can’t be good for the torii. 

To read more, go here. 

Three Most Scenic Spots of Japan

Above, Godaido temple at Matsushima Bay. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Do you know what places in Japan are considered to be the most scenic?

If you don't, that's okay. Because Goin' Japanesque has the answer in a new article.

It begins with:

Today, we have an article about the Nihon Sankei, the most scenic spots of Japan. These places have captured the hearts of Japanese people and also have been depicted in the Ukiyo-e of Utagawa Hiroshige. This article juxtaposes the ukiyo-e and the modern day photos to see the comparison. Photo: https://www.flickr.com/

What is the Nihon Sankei 

日本三景 

The Nihon Sankei, or the Three Most Scenic Spots of Japan refer to the three locations, Matsushima, Amanohashidate and Miyajima. It has been a yearned for travel destination for Japanese since long ago and can be said to be the origins of travelling. The reason these three sites came to be recognized originates in the writings of Confucian scholar, Hayashi Gaho. In his writings, “Nihon-koku Jisekikou (Review of Things about Japan)” he wrote that these sites had the most amazing view. There have been poetry, artwork and other historical documents siting these places and praising their extraordinary view.

Of the three, I have been to Miyajima and Matsushima.

To read more, go here. 

Day Trips From Kyoto

Above, Miyajima (near Hiroshima) is 2 hours and 40 minutes away from Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Often times, foreign visitors to Japan who are in Kyoto have seen pretty much everything in the city they wanted to see and wonder what else they can do.

Zooming Japan has an article different day trips that people can take from those two cities. They can get to other places and nearby prefectures by either commuter train, shinkansen, bus or car.

They begin with:

People always ask me about good day trips from Kyoto or Osaka.
Especially if you have allotted quite a bit of time for the Kyoto region and fear to get bored, it’s good to know what else you could do.
And if it’s your second or third trip to the region, then you might want to explore new things. 

There are the well-known day trips such as Kobe, Himeji and Nara, for example.
Apart from these, I want to show you a lot of different alternatives. 

Believe it or not, but there are so many lovely day trips you can easily do from Kyoto – and I bet there are many you haven’t heard of yet! 

Please note that the following travel time estimation is based on public transportation. It’s sometimes faster if you travel by car.

To see more, go here. 

Japan Cheapo's Hiroshima Guide

Above, the Atomic Bomb Dome. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Many foreign visitors to the Kansai region of Japan generally include Hiroshima in their travel itineraries. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum is the biggest draw, but there are other things to see and do while in the city.

Japan Cheapo has posted an article guide of things to see and do in Hiroshima.

It begins with:

Hiroshima is known for one thing, and is on most people’s Japan itinerary—but besides visiting the museums, what can you do there? Our Hiroshima guide will outline all that there is to do, see and eat for a full day of discovery. 

Hiroshima has history, and although it is an important part of the city’s memory and legacy, it is also a place of renewal and beauty. No doubt it will be on your list if you’re traveling in Kansai, and so it should be. But in addition to the memorials to the atrocities of the past, there are plenty of things to enjoy as well as learn from. Only 1 hour and 20 minutes from Osaka by bullet train, Hiroshima is the perfect day trip, and the perfect double-day trip when combined with nearby Miyajima. Allowing for personal preference, it seemed to suit Hiroshima’s legacy to start with the museum and memorial, followed by the beautiful gardens and natural beauty which has re-grown, as it allowed for reflection and consideration.

To read more, go here. 

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