Japan or Italy next spring

Old Jun 30th, 2015, 07:55 PM
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Japan or Italy next spring

i visited venice and rome for a total of 7 days and absolutely loved it. venice especially was my favorite...
next spring, i want to choose btw another trip to italy to do at least Florence or visit japan. i am not sure if i would find japan as beautiful and relaxing as italy. also it might be cold in japan...would appreciate suggestions
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Old Jun 30th, 2015, 08:10 PM
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Spring in Italy begins in March and lasts until June, so it matters what time in spring you would be traveling, as there can be quite a variation in weather during that time stretch in central Italy. Also, if you have never been in Japan you may not know that even in the biggest cities of millions, Japan is very quiet and orderly, exceptionally safe, clean and unabrasive. Florence is a busy, crowded, noisy city (not all that clean, either!), but there are certainly ways to relax there, and I think it is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Japan is intensely modernized (delightfully so in many ways), with an enitrely different historic aesthetic than Italy, so whether you would find it beautiful is difficult to know. Also, although there is a lot of English signage and help in Japan, many English-speakers find it harder work and anxiety producing to be a country where the language is different. I really like both countries, and like the food of both countries, so I would have a hard time choosing.
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Old Jun 30th, 2015, 08:21 PM
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thanks much, i have the flexibility to choose anytime before June
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Old Jun 30th, 2015, 09:33 PM
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For spring trip to Japan, you would probably want to sync your visit to the cherry blossom season. The flower blooms for only a week and it takes some effort to intercept the season at strategic places. If you start from the north (east) and head to south (west), you have more chance of hitting the height of season sometime. Normally it is end of March to beginning of April between Tokyo and Kyoto. https://www.jnto.go.jp/sakura/eng/index.php.

I hit the height of the season in Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto one time. The petals started to fall from the tress in the higher ground like twirling pink snow flakes. It was a surreal experience.

It starts to get muggy in April. June starts what is know as Tsuyu, the rainy season. It is one of the least desirable time to travel. It usually rains every day, stays warm and muggy. You walk around wet, but nothing dries because of the humidity.

I don't think of Japan as a relaxing destination in a way Americans expect. It is a place to experience the traditional as well as the ultra modern. When I first started going to Japan on business in 1980, I realized U.S. being technologically behind in many areas. Relaxing in Japan felt more of meditation, which is letting go or concentrate intensely, as opposed to lying on a beach. Look up on the web about people describing sitting at the deck of Ryōan-ji temple in Kyoto as a relaxing experience. It is a physically simple yet conceptually complex design.

Japan is a highly cash driven country. However, it is one country where your U.S. ATM/debit card does not work in most conveniently located ATM machine. Yes, you head it, it does not work. The ATM machine that take your U.S. ATM/debit cards at at Post Office and Seven-Eleven stores as well as at the airport. Japan is one country I don't hesitate to take out a lot of cash at the airport ATM until I can locate a Post Office or Seven-Eleven ATM. Just how quickly cash is used? I was taking out $300 worth EVERY day for four of us. It was not that I did not want to use credit cards. They just didn't take them. Getting transit passes for $60? cash only. Lunch for $100? cash only. You would routinely see people paying for things costing over $500 in cash.

While you can get anything you want to eat in Japan, if you want to manage expenses, go with the flow and eat local. Eat what other office workers would eat when they have to pay for their own meals. Families with small children usually know where to find bargains. If you step into a restaurant where all you see are business people, you might be in a place where only the regulars on expense accounts would go. Excellent food but at mind boggling prices. You might get a subtle hint that you don't belong there. Take the hint and go elsewhere.
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Old Jun 30th, 2015, 10:18 PM
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How long would you travel?

What are your interests, and what draws you to these two specific countries?

When, exactly, would you be likely to travel? (That can make a difference!)
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 12:22 PM
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Kja: my interest is :arts, nature, history, food
what draws me to Italy is its beauty. Its art, the culture and some of its food.
what draws to me to Japan is its culture, modern and unique world. the fact that you can get the best of all food is a plus.
I can choose anytime from Jan to June for vacation, maximum of 10 days. I would like to avoid cold and rainy days in Japan.

nickn: medications sounds relaxing. I am not a person to lay on the beach but do like nature. cars and traffic are things I try to avoid on vacation


thanks much, looking forward to more input, cheers S
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 04:23 PM
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If you are looking for a beautiful, relaxing place, I'm not sure that Tokyo -- the "modern" face of Japan -- would suit. (There are, of course, some wonderfully beautiful, quite corners in Tokyo -- Meiji Jingu, the imperial gardens, etc.) But Japan abounds in beautiful, relaxing places, including the temples and shrines in cities like Kyoto and Nara, the gorgeous gardens in Kanazawa and elsewhere, and the hot springs of Hakone and elsewhere. For a great source of information, I recommend japan-guide:
http://www.japan-guide.com

With the interests you list, I think either Italy or Japan would work -- or at least, there are parts of each country that you could visit in 10 days that would let you experience the things you seek.

Enjoy!
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 04:52 PM
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i am not sure if i would find japan as beautiful and relaxing as italy.

I don't think it is possible to get more relaxing than a nice ryokan at a hot spring resort in Japan. Heck, even Tokyo can be relaxing if you choose the right hotel and don't overpack your days.

Personally, I would go to Japan over Italy any time.
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 06:35 PM
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If spending a lot of money doesn't bother you and you can relax despite the $$$ required, go to Japan. I was able to enjoy Japan when there were 265 yen to the dollar, long ago.
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 06:52 PM
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I actually think the "Japan is expensive" stuff is overplayed. Hotels can be expensive, but it isn't that bad on the ground and not terrible by Western standards.
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 09:51 PM
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Yes, I am ok spending on vacations. Just checking now, the hotel I would choose in Japan is cheaper than the one I would do in Italy...
Perhaps a trip to Tokyo and then Kyoto would suite for next year. Would end of March be warm enough? Thank you
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 09:56 PM
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"Would end of March be warm enough?"

Only you can decide what would work for you. Did you check the japan-guide web-site I linked above? There's information there about climate, and most decent guidebooks have sections on "when to go" that provide information on average high and lows and averages and rainfall, etc.
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Old Jul 1st, 2015, 11:04 PM
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I went to Japan last year during cherry blossom.
I loved it. If you've been already to Rome and Venice, I would suggest doing something entirely different.
As for cash and money, I found Japan very cheap : you can eat in small restaurants next to nothing and Japan being extremely clean, we didn't feel we took any risk in eating in small places.
As for cash, well, we paid all our hotels per creditcards and I don't remember having to use a lot of cash.
Florence is very beautiful though.
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Old Jul 2nd, 2015, 12:11 AM
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I also feel the price/quality ration in Japan is extremely good. Even in some Italian cities (although not Florence), if you go down low in price you noticeably sacrifice quality. But in Japan, the fundamentals of cleanliness, quiet, safety, good heat/air con and professional service remain in place. All you give up is extra luxury and style. Agree as well that there are lots of favorably priced choices for good food, even sushi.

What surprised me about Japan, however, was that I was expecting a lot of natural beauty because of the legendary respect for the natural world one finds in Japanese art and literature. But where I went, most of the natural beauty was framed in miniature, amidst an otherwise very modern and even sterile landscape of new factories. The beauty was more in small gardens and courtyards, rather than sweeping vistas. My experience might have been different had I gone other places, but if you are looking for that in your travels, you need to plan how to get there in Japan.
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 08:40 PM
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Thank you sandralist ! I take your point...
I need to see Florence before I let go of Italy for a while. I will definitely do Japan sometime as well...
Florence is one of the hottest cities in Italy. Sounds like October, November or mid May would be nice times of the year to visit that area. Perhaps a few days in Florence and a few days in the rest of Tuscany?!
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Old Jul 12th, 2015, 09:05 PM
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"But where I went, most of the natural beauty was framed in miniature, amidst an otherwise very modern and even sterile landscape of new factories. The beauty was more in small gardens and courtyards, rather than sweeping vistas."

That was certainly not my experience of Japan! There were some tiny spaces filled with beauty, but there most certainly are also magnificent sweeping vistas.
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 07:10 AM
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Kia, which cities of Japan did you visit? Which did you enjoy most?
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Old Jul 13th, 2015, 05:05 PM
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I'm not sure how knowing what I visited or what I would enjoy would help you! I wanted to see and experience Japan's traditional side, and so even in very modern cities like Tokyo, I chose what to see based on MY interests.

I've already directed you to the best single resource I know on Japan -- japan-guide.com . You could also post on Fodor's Japan board and, if you haven't already done so, browse it.

You said that you want a "beautiful and relaxing" place. If so, look into Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Miyajima, Nikko, Takayama, Shirakawago, and Hakone (just to mention a few). But be advised that with only 10 days to travel, a chunk of which will be lost to getting to / from Japan, you will need to be selective -- particularly if you want to travel at a relaxing place.

Good luck!
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Old Jul 14th, 2015, 08:18 AM
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yes, i am an MD and my scedule does no allow for taking more than 10 days off!
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Old Jul 14th, 2015, 09:07 AM
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I love this thread - some very different replies to the norm (I suppose because the question is a bit different from the standard 'Paris or London' poser). Feeling enlightened
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