By: Stephanie Sam

Have you ever thought of visiting Japan but don’t know when the best time is? Well, ANYTIME! Every season is my favorite in Japan. Spring in Japan is a must-see . You can see the cherry blossoms (sakura). I was visiting my parents in Japan this past January and I overheard the weather channel announcing when cherry blossoms will start blooming this year. According to the weather channel, cherry blossoms will start blooming March 26th in the Tokyo region and March 29th in the Kyoto and Osaka region!! I don’t think it’s too late to plan a week long trip to Japan this year and see the country’s national flower. While you are there I would love for you to experience so many other things like ART, FOOD and ARCHITECTURE. Japanese ART is a must-see, especially things such as UKIOE (woodblock prints) and IKEBANA (Japanese flower arrangements). Venture out and try some Japanese FOOD! Many people aren’t familiar with Japanese food but there is so much more than raw fish. For instance Kaiseki, Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu. Since Japan is such a small country and limited in space, you will find houses that are built very uniquely to accommodate the small spaces. Keep an eye out while you are exploring the neighborhoods, especially the up town area of Tokyo city.

The picture above is in Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Oh Kamakura…. not only because this is where my parents are located, I love visiting this area! If you are interested in visiting shrines and botanical gardens you will love Kamakura. AND you will get to say “Hi” to The Giant BUDDHA! It is only a one hour train ride from the Tokyo station. If you get a chance to walk through the Komachi Doori strip right outside of Kamakura Station, on the way to the biggest shrine in Kamakura: Tsurugaoka Hachimangu, check out the smallest Ramen shop called HIRANO. The ramen master there is quiet but enjoys seeing visitors from all around the world. I think there’s an English menu!? The Ramen is either soy sauce or miso based. I also recommend visiting Hase-dera Botanical Garden. There, you can see many cherry blossom trees. And stop by at the Bamboo Garden in Hokokuji Temple.

Hase-dera Botanical Garden

 

It is easy to get to Kamakura from Narita or Haneda Airport. There’s many ways. If you decide to get a hotel in the Kamakura area, I personally recommend using the Narita Express. It has reserved seating, very comfortable reclining seats, and power outlets at every seat. It’s a two hour train ride from Narita so you might want to get comfortable after a long flight.

Narita Express will stop at major cities like Tokyo and Yokohama. After coming through customs, go to the very bottom floor; that is where the train station is. There, go to the customer service desk called MIDORINO MADOGUCHI to purchase Narita Express tickets (the representative there speaks English). It’s a 4000 yen ($40) round trip ticket to the Kamakura area. Make sure you show your US passport or foreign passport to get a discount. Otherwise you will be paying about double the price. Keep in mind that the round-trip Narita Express ticket is only valid for 14 days and is not refundable.

How to get around Japan:

Get a PASMO Card (it’s like a metro card). The card can be purchased directly from Narita Airport or Haneda Airport. You can purchase the card for 500 yen ($5) at the ticket machine the same way you would buy a train ticket. The card allows you to get on trains and buses. You can even use it at many of the vending machines to buy drinks and to shop at convenience stores. You can put up to 10000 yen ($100) on the card. You will have to pay with yen, in cash. The PASMO is refundable. Before you leave Japan, turn in your card at any station (it doesn’t need to be the same place you purchased it) to get a refund. For more information about how to and where to purchase the PASMO card, this is the official site of PASMO, one of Japan’s most popular smart cards. http://www.pasmo.co.jp/en/buy/

Do you like SUSHI? or Do you LOVE SHUSHI??! Why not experience the legendary fish market Tsukiji while you are in the Tokyo region. They are sushi restaurants that are open from 3am!! So why not taste the freshest sushi in Japan.

Japan is a travel friendly country so you can get to many places in no time. Take the bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka to the must-see and so gorgeous shrines, Kinn Kakuji and Ginn Kakuji and many more. The regular one way fare from Tokyo to Kyoto or Osaka is 13,080 yen that’s about $130. You will have to try some Takoyaki, its a ball stuffed with chopped octopus it’s a yummy snack originated in Osaka.

Well! I hope my short blog gave you more exciting ideas for your next trip to Japan. Japan is where I call home. It’s a BEAUTIFUL little country yet so much to see. I appreciate the culture very much and I would love for those who visits to experience many new things and learn something exciting during their stay. If you would like to know more about Japan or have any question about your trip to Japan come say hi on my Instagram page @pushtotalk. I will try my best to answer your questions.

More about Stephanie!

 

 

 

Stephanie grew up and lived in Japan for most of her life.  She visits Japan quite often to spend time with family and friends. She also loves visiting other countries and enjoy learning other cultures. She currently lives in Houston, Texas.

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