TRAVEL TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
WHAT WE’LL TALK ABOUT TODAY
1) Awesome places off the typical tourist trail
2) Seasonal travel
3) Matsuri
4) Experiences
5) Close overseas destinations
6) Traveling efficiently and cheaply
7) Other tips and tricks
AWESOME RECOMMENDATIONS!
Share somewhere that you highly recommend people visit that they might not know about
Keep it within 2 minutes
From: Nicharawee Sawetchaikul on Pinterest
KUMANO KODŌ TRAIL
KŌYASAN
NAOSHIMA, TESHIMA, AND INUJIMA
From: benesse-artsite.jp
From: benesse-artsite.jp
YAKUSHIMA
SEASONAL TRAVEL
Japan has 4 seasons!
(But they are actually really good at making certain
places absolutely spectacular for a few weeks a year)
From: goodfon.com
WINTER
Frozen waterfalls Hirayu, Hida Kiso, Nagano
Illuminations Nabana no Sato Kobe Luminarie Castle illuminations Nagoya station and Sakae
Christmas markets Sapporo snow festival
Scuba with hammerhead
sharks in Okinawa
SPRING – SAKURA
Chubu: Kakamigahara The sakura tunnel near Seki Ride bikes on an abandoned railway in Hida Takayama matsuri Kenrokuen, Kanazawa Matsumoto castle Yamazaki River, Nagoya
Kansai
So many places in Kyoto! Mt. Yoshino, Nara Himeji castle
Tokyo/Fuji
Classic view from Chureito Pagoda Shinjuku Gyoen and Ueno Park
From: en.japantravel.com
From: jpninfo.com
SPRING – OTHER FLOWERS AND SIGHTS
In Chubu:
Wisteria in Hashima
Toyama tulip festival
Ono rose festival
Hydrangea festival in Seki city (June 2-3)
Tateyama Alpine Route snow wall (Apr-June)
From: japan-guide.com
SPRING – OTHER FLOWERS AND SIGHTS
Kyushu:
Kawachi Fuji Gardens for the best wisteria tunnel! (early May in GW)
Huis Ten Bosch tulip festival (Mar-Apr)
From: japanbook,net
SPRING – OTHER FLOWERS AND SIGHTS
Tokyo/Fuji
Shibazakura (mid Apr–early May)
Ashikaga Flower Park wisteria tunnels (Apr–May)
Hitachi Seaside Park for the blue nemophila (late Apr–mid May)
From: japanican.com From: japan-guide.com
SUMMER
Festivals (more on these next)
Fireworks
Hike Mt. Fuji
Hokkaido
Lavender fields at Farm Tomita, Furano
Colourful rows of flowers at Shikisai no Oka, Biei
Hokuryu sunflower park
Sapporo beer festival
Okinawa
Go cool down by relaxing on a beach
From: miyajima.or.jp
From: japanican.com
AUTUMN
Chubu region:
Kamikochi National Park, Nagano/Hida
Tateyama Alpine Route, Toyama/Nagano
Oyada temple, Mino
Ginkgo tree avenue, Kakamigahara
Ena Valley
Toki park illuminations
Korankei, Aichi
Obara sakura AND momiji, Aichi
Red carpet of leaves at Keisokuji, Shiga
AUTUMN
Kyoto (early Nov)
Eikandōji
Tōfukuji
Nara
Hitachi Seaside Park
(early–mid Oct)
From: en.hitachihaikin.jp
From: japan-guide.com
THE MOST FAMOUS MATSURI
Gion Matsuri Awa Ōdōri Kanda Matsuri
Kyoto Tokushima Tokyo
17-24th July 12-15th Aug Mid May
From: dannychoo.com
FESTIVALS - “TOHOKU ROKU” (6 MATSURI, 6 PREFECTURES, 6 DAYS)
Nebuta matsuri Kantō matsuri Tanabata
Aomori, Aug 2-7th Akita, Aug 3-6th Sendai, Aug 7-8th
Waraji matsuri – Fukushima Sansa ōdōri – Morioka Hanagasa – Yamagata First weekend of Aug Aug 1-4th Aug 5-7th
THE MOST FAMOUS MATSURI CONT...
Yuki matsuri Kishiwada Danjiri Hōnen matsuri
Sapporo Osaka Komaki, Aichi
early Feb mid Sept March 15
From: japan-magazine.jnto.go.jp From: komaki-kasugaiphotoclub
GIFU FESTIVALS
Takayama matsuri Mino matsuri Sekigahara matsuri (14–15 Apr) (2nd weekend of Apr) (mid Oct)
Many others:
Nobunaga and Dosan matsuri (Gifu), Ogaki matsuri, Doburoku matsuri (Shirakawa-go), Fox matsuri (Hida-Furukawa), Furukawa matsuri, Tejikara fire matsuri (Gifu), Gero onsen matsuri, Gujō ōdōri.
From: japan-experience.com From: tadaimajp.com
EXPERIENCES
Take part in a matsuri
Cooking classes
Make food samples in Gujō
Make wagashi in Kyoto
Cultural classes
Tea ceremony, calligraphy, kendō, etc. (visit your school’s clubs!)
Miyako ōdōri – the only time you can see maiko performing! (Apr 1–24)
From: miyako-odori.jp
EXPERIENCES
Sports Sumo
Baseball or soccer games
Kendō demonstrations
Museums Yayoi Kusama’s Tokyo exhibition
Kanazawa’s 21st Century Museum
Naoshima art islands
Music festivals Fuji Rock Festival
Ultra Japan
Summer Sonic
From: theloophk.com
CLOSE OVERSEAS
TRIPS
From: bangkok.com
South Korea
TRAVELING EFFICIENTLY
When to use nenkyuu
Bus, train, or fly?
Pros Cons
Bus
- Cheap - Convenient for those in Takayama - Overnight buses save accommodation
- Take a long time - Not many routes - Have to book in advance
Train
- Local options are cheap - Go regularly - Convenient for those in the south - No need to book in advance
- The shinkansen is expensive - Probably won’t get a seat
Aeroplane - Fast - Can be cheaper than the shinkansen
- Expensive - Have to book in advance
From Nagoya From Takayama
Tokyo
- Bus (~¥5000, 6 hrs) - Shinkansen (¥11,290, 1.5 hrs) - Kodama (¥8300, 3 hrs)
- Bus (¥6690/5.5 hrs) - Shinkansen (¥14,000, 4hrs) - Kodama (¥11,000, 6 hrs)
Kansai
- Gifu local trains (¥2500, 2.5 hr) - Shinkansen (¥6760, 1 hr) - Kodama (¥4300, 1.5hrs)
- Bus (¥4500/4-5hrs) - Local trains (¥5000, 5hrs) - Shinkansen (¥9500, 3.5hrs)
Nagoya airport
- Train from Gifu (¥1700, 1hr) Nagoya (¥1230, 30min) - Drive from Gifu (~¥4000, 1.5hr)
- Bus/train (¥3700/3.5hrs) - Drive (~¥7500, 3hrs)
COMPARING MODES OF TRANSPORT
WILLER BUS PASS
Unlimited bus travel passes
Choose any 3 or 5 dates within a 2 month period to travel around Japan
3 days = ¥12,500 / 5 days = ¥15,000
Book routes online in English
Pay for it in cash at a konbini
http://willerexpress.com/st/3/en/pc/buspass/
An example day using the pass:
AM: Nagoya/Kanazawa to Tokyo
PM: Tokyo to Aomori
Normally ¥14,000, but only ¥12,500 plus you still have 2 more days of travel left!
SEISHUN 18 KIPPU / 青春18きっぷ
A JR train pass which allows 5 days of unlimited travel around the country on all local and rapid JR trains for only ¥11850!
It can be bought at most JR stations across Japan.
It is only sold and available for use during the 3 school holiday periods throughout the year: Spring vacation: Mar 1 – Apr 10 Summer vacation: July 20 – Sept 10 Winter vacation: Dec 10 – Jan 10
You can even share it between friends travelling together 5 people using 1 day each
2 people using 2 days each
PLATT KODAMA / ぷらっとこだま
Book tickets in advance for the slower Kodama shinkansen and save a few thousand yen on your trips.
Book your ticket more than 1 day in advance Online or over the phone in Japanese
Or at the Tokai Tour Centre in JR Nagoya station
Choose your departure time (every half hour)
Get a free drink voucher!
http://www.jrtours.co.jp/kodama/en/
Shin-Osaka/Kyoto Tokyo
From Nagoya
¥4300 (save ¥2460)
¥8300 (save ¥2990)
TRAVELING EFFICIENTLY
Travel during the night https://www.sleepinginairports.net/
Sleep in manga cafes or fit the back of your car out with a futon and blankets!
Work out if driving or public transport is cheapest
http://dc.c-nexco.co.jp/dc/DriveCompass.html
Take advantage of the special ticket options
After your contract ends and visa changes (worker to tourist visa) you can get a JR pass!
HOT TIPS
GO Gifu Facebook page and blog Facebook JETsetters Use social media to find unknown places
Follow local Japanese Instagram accounts Trawl through Pinterest and Instagram
Book accommodation early online
and cancel it for free if need be
Let this quiz work out what interests you and where you haven’t been yet to help plan your next trip! https://www.jnto.org.au/travelguru/#quiz__signup
THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART!