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Niko has fantastic temples and shrines and is easy to get to from Tokyo. Koya San is a pain-in-the-ass to get to, but a great experience if you are interested in staying in a Buddhist temple and eating amazing vegetarian meals (It's pretty pricey though). There's loads to see in Kyoto, Hiroshima was an incredibly friendly and moving place, and Tokyo is a universe unto itself. Takayama is a stop worth making as well, if you have the time.Quick Tips: Take advantage of the Tourist Information Centers. The people who work there are godsends.
If you are travelling in April/May, book accomodation as far in advance as possible! If you are planning to travel to Japan during Golden Week (us
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Quick Tips:
Take advantage of the Tourist Information Centers. The people who work there are godsends.
If you are travelling in April/May, book accomodation as far in advance as possible! If you are planning to travel to Japan during Golden Week (usually late April, early May), stay home!
The Youth Hostel in Takayama is bizarre. Probably best avoided if possible (designated bathing hours, loudspeaker announcements, frigid temperatures...)
Be patient. I like traveling alone, but I probably would have had a better time in Japan if I had gone with someone else. I was really lonely the first couple of days until I got used to things.
Best Way To Get Around:
You probably don't need me to tell you this, but... yes, you need a JapanRail pass (unless you're in the mood to waste heaps of time, money, and energy). If you don't speak Japanese, you'll probably be confused-as-hell for the first day or so. But 2 days later, you'll be maneuvering from train-to-train in seconds flat. By the time my pass expired, a 10 minute layover felt like a short eternity. ;) In Tokyo, I took the subway, but most other places I went everywhere on foot. You might want to rent a bike or take a bus in Kyoto though, cause a lot of the temples are quite a shlep. Read Less