Trip Report - A magical 3 week+ sojourn through Japan
Nov 23rd, 2008, 04:43 PM
#41
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Dogster - It sounds wonderful to have inspired someone to consider a new destination after reading my report.
Japan was very different to any of my other trips. My husband and I are traditionally the "go to Europe" type and although, Europe probably continues to be my first love, I would love the opportunity to return to Japan again. Next time I would like to explore further afield and get to see the other islands. I also have to find a place to go see snow monkeys as well.
Japan was very different to any of my other trips. My husband and I are traditionally the "go to Europe" type and although, Europe probably continues to be my first love, I would love the opportunity to return to Japan again. Next time I would like to explore further afield and get to see the other islands. I also have to find a place to go see snow monkeys as well.
Nov 23rd, 2008, 04:53 PM
#42
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Hawaiian Traveller, it would have been the 11th October when we did the trip from Takayama to Matsumoto. Although we saw quite a bit of autumn foliage as we drove across the alps it would probably have been another couple of weeks before it was at its height. As for the rest of our trip we didn't see much autumn colour, we were too early. It was only the extra altitude that enabled us to see it in the Alps.
I can't say that I would really recommend an overnight at Matsumoto. Apart from the castle itself there wasn't all that much to see. The shops were quite pleasant to wander around but no different to anywhere else we had been (apart from that wonderful secondhand book store).
For myself I would prefer an overnight at Kamikochi or there was a place the bus stopped for a while. Unfortunately I have no idea of its name but you might be able to work it out from the bus schedules. It seemed to be a bit of a resort type area and there were a lot of Japanese there and the views nearby were stunning.
I am feeling envious that you are planning your next trip. I am afraid I can't even contemplate one just at the moment.
I can't say that I would really recommend an overnight at Matsumoto. Apart from the castle itself there wasn't all that much to see. The shops were quite pleasant to wander around but no different to anywhere else we had been (apart from that wonderful secondhand book store).
For myself I would prefer an overnight at Kamikochi or there was a place the bus stopped for a while. Unfortunately I have no idea of its name but you might be able to work it out from the bus schedules. It seemed to be a bit of a resort type area and there were a lot of Japanese there and the views nearby were stunning.
I am feeling envious that you are planning your next trip. I am afraid I can't even contemplate one just at the moment.
Nov 23rd, 2008, 08:41 PM
#43
HT- We once spent 3 nights in Matsumoto and really enjoyed the town. We stayed in a very old inn where the emperor once stayed. It was probably 15 years ago and there were no foreigners that we remember. The castle, museum, covered shopping mall and a night market were all enjoyable. We were there in March, so I can't comment on the leaves.
Shandy: Thanks for a great report! All your details make for one that I'll print and save!
Shandy: Thanks for a great report! All your details make for one that I'll print and save!
Nov 24th, 2008, 11:59 PM
#46
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HT (that is so much easier to write), as you have probably worked out I would paying more attention to lcuy than me re Matsumoto. I would have only spent about 5 hours there so not sufficient time to make any real judgment. It just didn't immediately strike me as a place that I wished I had organised an overnight stop. Happy planning.
Sep 16th, 2009, 04:45 PM
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Loved your report shandy, I made some notes for my own JP itinerary coming up in Nov. Did you do Nara totally on foot? I'm thinking of maybe renting bikes for the day trip there. Also, was there something particular wrong with the Sumida river cruise?
Went to Australia 2 yrs ago and so far it's been my fav travel destination, can't wait to go back down under!
Went to Australia 2 yrs ago and so far it's been my fav travel destination, can't wait to go back down under!
Sep 16th, 2009, 08:05 PM
#49
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Hi Anthony,
We did do Nara totally by foot and I have to say that we were very footweary by end of the day. Of course, getting rather lost did not help. Actually, I'm lying because I have just remembered that we caught a bus back to the station at the end of the day - it was too far to walk back.
I think renting bikes would be an absolutely fantastic idea as the assorted shrines/temples cover a reasonably large area. Our day at Nara was one of our favourites for the whole trip. Don't forget that if you want to see Fushimi Inara that it is on the same train line so is an easy detour on the way there or back.
With the Sumida River cruise there wasn't anything particulaly wrong, it was just rather boring. For the first hour we didn't really seem to go anywhere at all, went from one landing spot to another, waiting a while, and then backtracked to first landing before eventually heading up river. Whether this is normal I don't know.
I suppose we had expected to see a lot more water traffic. Admittedly it was a public holiday the day we were on it so I don't know whether that made a difference. The sights along the way were, for the most part, just somewhat interesting. Very little to ooh and ah at.
I certainly wouldn't say, "Don't do the trip, it isn't worth it". Just that I wouldn't go out of my way to fit it in. If it does fit in nicely with your plans for that day, yes, go ahead with it.
Hope you have a great trip. How long do you have to travel around and glad that you enjoyed your trip to Oz.
We did do Nara totally by foot and I have to say that we were very footweary by end of the day. Of course, getting rather lost did not help. Actually, I'm lying because I have just remembered that we caught a bus back to the station at the end of the day - it was too far to walk back.
I think renting bikes would be an absolutely fantastic idea as the assorted shrines/temples cover a reasonably large area. Our day at Nara was one of our favourites for the whole trip. Don't forget that if you want to see Fushimi Inara that it is on the same train line so is an easy detour on the way there or back.
With the Sumida River cruise there wasn't anything particulaly wrong, it was just rather boring. For the first hour we didn't really seem to go anywhere at all, went from one landing spot to another, waiting a while, and then backtracked to first landing before eventually heading up river. Whether this is normal I don't know.
I suppose we had expected to see a lot more water traffic. Admittedly it was a public holiday the day we were on it so I don't know whether that made a difference. The sights along the way were, for the most part, just somewhat interesting. Very little to ooh and ah at.
I certainly wouldn't say, "Don't do the trip, it isn't worth it". Just that I wouldn't go out of my way to fit it in. If it does fit in nicely with your plans for that day, yes, go ahead with it.
Hope you have a great trip. How long do you have to travel around and glad that you enjoyed your trip to Oz.
Dec 17th, 2009, 04:29 AM
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Am very late in catching this report. It is wonderful and makes me want to return to Japan. I was there as a 25 year old and didn't have a clue to what to see and do.
Very well written and so descriptive.
Very well written and so descriptive.
Dec 17th, 2009, 12:22 PM
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The bus ride from Takayama to Matsumoto is lovely. We stopped at a bus terminal along the way in a small mountain ski town and used the thermal baths at a lodge on the far side of the bus parking lot. There were 10+ different baths in the ladies side, some inside and some outside. We were told we were the first Western tourists in the past several years. The thermal springs are so frequent in the area that hot water runs in gullies along the roads.
We also bought old books in Matsumoto. Very good "flea" market near river. Loved the castle and the city.
Best food bargain we found in Japan. In our hotel "Green Hotel", I think. They had "coffe shop" type of dining room off lobby. Pre fix dinner for $12.00, Western food only with self serve beautiful, fresh salad bar, soup, main plate of meat or fish, starch, vegetable, fancy dessert of cake, whipped cream, fresh fruit, plus 8 choice self serve ice cream buffet, and if not enough...one glass or wine or beer. Wow!! We ate there every night.
We also bought old books in Matsumoto. Very good "flea" market near river. Loved the castle and the city.
Best food bargain we found in Japan. In our hotel "Green Hotel", I think. They had "coffe shop" type of dining room off lobby. Pre fix dinner for $12.00, Western food only with self serve beautiful, fresh salad bar, soup, main plate of meat or fish, starch, vegetable, fancy dessert of cake, whipped cream, fresh fruit, plus 8 choice self serve ice cream buffet, and if not enough...one glass or wine or beer. Wow!! We ate there every night.
Dec 17th, 2009, 12:33 PM
#53
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I just saw this excellent report today for the first time. So many memories of our trip to Japan. We, too, did the Nakasendo Trail. While it was a Sunday and the villages were very busy with Japanese bus groups, like Shandy, we hardly saw anyone else on the trail. I bought vegetable/herb seeds in one of the villages and am still growing my real Japanese herbs each summer.
Dec 18th, 2009, 03:25 AM
#54
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Someotherguy, thank you so much for telling me the name of the resort near Kamikochi, as I would definitely like to spend a night or two there when I get a chance to return.
Elainee, that's absolutely fabulous that you are still growing and no doubt eating your Japanese herbs. It beats many a knick knack that eventually gets put in the back of cupboard to gather dust. As someone who enjoys cooking, the idea really appeals to me. Unfortunately I can't take advantage of it because Australia's strict quarantine rules would never allow me to bring them in. They even confiscated the bath salts I brought back because they looked as though they had some sort of herb or seed in the packaging
Elainee, that's absolutely fabulous that you are still growing and no doubt eating your Japanese herbs. It beats many a knick knack that eventually gets put in the back of cupboard to gather dust. As someone who enjoys cooking, the idea really appeals to me. Unfortunately I can't take advantage of it because Australia's strict quarantine rules would never allow me to bring them in. They even confiscated the bath salts I brought back because they looked as though they had some sort of herb or seed in the packaging
Dec 18th, 2009, 05:29 AM
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Dry seeds in a sealed package doesn't seem to be a problem in US. I bring seeds back from where ever I find them. Most of the time the herbs are just like the ones I would have gotten here but more fun to me. Taking bath salts, now that is tooo much.
Dec 20th, 2009, 05:15 PM
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shandy, i too just stumbled on your fabulous report. it took my ex and i 3 3 week trips to cover all you did. good job! we enjoyed the fried crickets on the nakasendo. in a language snafu. i thought we were getting raw tuna but managed to wolf down raw horse meat at out minshi ku.
as a big fan of woodblock prints we enjoyed the museum in matsumoto. we stayed a few nights in the shirakawa valley at the top of one of those incredible houses. and as an architect with an interest in the historic (as well as contemporary) we traipsed though every old building museum
we were hysterical with the juxtaposition of the public spaces from frank lloyd wright's imperial hotel stuck against a hillside with a brick railway viaduct behind it
each of our trips included 4-7 days in and around kyoto, including on one a few days in koyasan which included one of those only in japan multi mode transit trips w/ 2 minutes between departure and arrival
we scheduled around festivals and shrine markets and became addicted to okonomiyaki. in was thrilled to discover that the infamous japa dog in downtown vancouver has an okonomiyaki sausage!
thanks for the memories
cheers and happy hols
AndrewDavid
ps spent almost 5 weeks in fabulous oz w/ the help of lots of kind aussies including the loan of an apartment in sydney. not sure if my trip report is still here. loved getting stuck for 2 days at the tully river crossing on the way to cairns
as a big fan of woodblock prints we enjoyed the museum in matsumoto. we stayed a few nights in the shirakawa valley at the top of one of those incredible houses. and as an architect with an interest in the historic (as well as contemporary) we traipsed though every old building museum
we were hysterical with the juxtaposition of the public spaces from frank lloyd wright's imperial hotel stuck against a hillside with a brick railway viaduct behind it
each of our trips included 4-7 days in and around kyoto, including on one a few days in koyasan which included one of those only in japan multi mode transit trips w/ 2 minutes between departure and arrival
we scheduled around festivals and shrine markets and became addicted to okonomiyaki. in was thrilled to discover that the infamous japa dog in downtown vancouver has an okonomiyaki sausage!
thanks for the memories
cheers and happy hols
AndrewDavid
ps spent almost 5 weeks in fabulous oz w/ the help of lots of kind aussies including the loan of an apartment in sydney. not sure if my trip report is still here. loved getting stuck for 2 days at the tully river crossing on the way to cairns
Dec 20th, 2009, 05:30 PM
#57
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AndrewDavid, glad the report brought back some good memories for you. It must have been marvellous staying in one of the thatched houses.
I hope to get to Koyasan some time and would like to get a bit more off the beaten track next time. However, if and when I go again it will be with my husband and I will be torn between showing him the places I really enjoyed and seeing some new places as well. Hopefully the trip can be long enough to encompass both.
I have indeed read your trip report on Oz with much enjoyment and your getting stuck at the Tully has probably gone done in Trip Report folklore for the Oz board.
Have a great Christmas and 2010.
I hope to get to Koyasan some time and would like to get a bit more off the beaten track next time. However, if and when I go again it will be with my husband and I will be torn between showing him the places I really enjoyed and seeing some new places as well. Hopefully the trip can be long enough to encompass both.
I have indeed read your trip report on Oz with much enjoyment and your getting stuck at the Tully has probably gone done in Trip Report folklore for the Oz board.
Have a great Christmas and 2010.
