Japan Today. The year 2011 was indeed a terrible year for the Japanese, and it
came ... So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET. PAGE. 1.
©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
“ All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!” TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET
PAGE
1
PLAN YOUR TRIP
YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT
Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip
2 6 20 22 23 27 31 39 43 45
30 TOP EXPERIENCES
1
Dining & Shopping There’s a very good reason why more than 35 million people live in the capital’s greater metropolitan area – in Tokyo you’re spoilt for choice on just about everything. Over 140,000 restaurants (more than anywhere else in the world) and a seemingly equal amount of stores can make a local feel like a stranger in their own town. Museum-Hopping An entire trip of dining and shopping would undoubtedly be time well spent, but there’s so much more to the city. Dozens of dynamic neighbourhoods are begging to be explored on foot, and when you’re done poking your head down all of the little backstreets, a collection of world-class museums awaits. p50
Mt Fuji & Around Tokyo
The Japan Alps & Central HonshŚ
Ryokan 33 Hiking 33 Temples 33
Onsen 333 Villages 33 Skiing 333
Country Inns Some of Japan’s best ryokan and hotels are just a few hours from Tokyo. Each direction offers a distinct Áavour: rugged onsen towns to the north, lakeside resorts to the west and laidback coastal villages to the south.
Ultimate Onsen The mountainous heart of Japan bubbles over with exquisite hot springs and fantastic inns to enjoy them. Gaze up at snowy peaks while steam rises from your body.
Natural Attractions From iconic Mt Fuji to the little-known Ogasawara Islands, there is a range of outdoor activities: hiking among cedar groves, scrambling up volcanoes, swimming with dolphins or lounging in beachside onsen. Cultural Sights The cultural legacies of diՖerent eras come to life in the World Heritage– listed shrines and temples of Nikkľ and the more austere ones of medieval Kamakura.
Thatched Roofs Travel to the remote village of Shirakawa-gľ (or, even remoter, Ainokura) and fall asleep to the sound of chirping frogs in a centuries-old thatched-roof farmhouse.
z
Kurama-no-hi Matsuri
MARK HEMMINGS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
Food 333 Shopping 333 Museums 333
CITY
• The original • Comprehensive • Adventurous
For this edition of Japan, our authors have hunted down the fresh, the revamped, the transformed, the hot and the happening. These&are some of Kyoto Temples Gardens ourmore favourites. For up-to-theWith than 1000 temples to choose from, you’re spoiled for choice in Kyoto (p249). Spend your time Ànding one that suits your taste. minute recommendations, see If you like things gaudy and grand, you’ll love the retina-burning splendour of Kinkaku-ji. If you prefer wabi-sabi to rococo, you’ll Ànd the tranquillity lonelyplanet.com/japan.
of Hľnen-in or Shľren-in more to your liking. And don’t forget that temples are where you’ll Ànd the best gardens: some of them are at Ginkaku-ji, Ryľan-ji and Tľfuku-ji. Kinkaku-ji, above.
PL AN YOUR TRIP M O N T H B Y M O N T H
_ #
What’s New Haneda Goes International
45
Tokyo
HIKING
22
30
Regions at a Glance
JOHN ELK III / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
Welcome to Japan.......... 30 Top Experiences ....... Need to Know ................. What’s New ..................... If You Like... ..................... Month by Month ............. Itineraries ........................ Skiing in Japan................ Travel with Children ....... Regions at a Glance .......
Get the right guides for your trip
On 22 October, huge Áaming torches are carried through the streets of the tiny hamlet of Kurama (p277) in the mountains north of Kyoto. This is one of Japan’s more primeval festivals.
November
Local Food Movement Local food is all the rage in Japan and locavores can sample the fare in cities and villages across the archipelago (see the box, p708).
2
Lee Ufan Museum Designed by Andľ Tadao, this new museum (named after Korean-born artist Lee Ufan) is a great new addition to the museums and galleries on Naoshima (p397 ).
6
Hip Capsule Hotels Capsule hotels used to be the refuge of sozzled salarymen who missed the last train home. Not anymore. A wave of cool designer capsule hotels has swept the country. A good example of this is the Capsule Ryokan Kyoto (p283).
7
Looking for other travel resources?
Sky Tree Blooms in Tokyo Scheduled to open in spring 2012, the Tokyo Sky Tree will soar to 634m and feature two observation decks (p81).
8
New Bus Routes on Mt Fuji New bus routes and more frequent departures make climbing Mt Fuji easier (p134).
9
Kumano Kodľ Development Local tourism authorities have been working hard to open the Kumano Kodľ pilgrimage trails to foreign tourists and their work has paid oՖ in a big way (see the box, p352).
10
Jetstar Opens Japan Routes Jetstar, Australia’s budget airline, launched service to Japan (Kansai and Narita) in 2007. This makes Japan a much more reasonable destination for Australian backpackers, skiers and families.
4
This is a festival in honour of girls aged three and seven and boys aged Àve. On 15 November, children are dressed in their Ànest clothes and taken to shrines or temples, where prayers are oՖered for good fortune.
December is cool to cold
Setouchi International Art Festival First held in 2010, this festival is slated to be held every three years, with the next one coming in 2013 (July to October). Events are centred on the island-cum-art-museum of Naoshima (see the box, p397 ).
3
z Shichi-Go-San (7-5-3 Festival)
December
PHRASEBOOK
5
Tokyo has just become a whole lot more convenient: Haneda Airport (p755) is once again serving international routes. Only 30 minutes out of downtown Tokyo and within reasonable taxi distance, Haneda is much closer to the city than Narita, which remains Tokyo’s main international entry point.
Extended Shinkansen Lines Shinkansen (bullet train) lines have been extended north to the city of Aomori (p429), at the northern tip of HonshŚ, and south to the city of Kagoshima (p613), in KyŚshŚ. You can now cross almost all of KyŚshŚ and HonshŚ by bullet train.
November is also beautiful for travel in most of Japan. Skies are reliably clear and temperatures are pleasantly cool. Snow starts to fall in the mountains and foliage peaks in places like Kyoto and Nara. Expect crowds.
ENCOUNTER • Pocket-sized • Easy-to-use • Highlights
»(Above) Dressed to the nines for Shichi-Go-San, which celebrates girls aged three and seven and boys aged five.
Powder Peaks Ski some of Asia’s best slopes, commanding breathtaking views of the northern Japan Alps. Après-ski soaking in hot springs is mandatory. p169
p119
UNDERSTAND 673 JAPAN PAGE
Japan Today.................... History ............................. The People of Japan ...... Japanese Cuisine ........... Arts & Architecture ........ Traditional Japanese Accommodation............. Onsen .............................. Living Art of the Geisha ... Environment ...................
674 676 694 699 713 725 728 731 733
GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP
Learn about the big picture, so you can make sense of what you see population per sq km JAPAN
USA
UK
≈ 30 people
Japan Today
Traditional Japanese Accommodation
pulation: 5 million 1 estimate) P: US$4.4 n (purng power y; 2010 mate)
Let’s face it: a hotel is a hotel wherever you go. And while some of Japan’s hotels are very nice indeed, you’re probably searching for something unique to the culture. If this is what you’re after, you’ll be pleased to learn that Japan is one of the last places in Asia where you can Ànd truly u and shukubľ. authentic traditional accommodation: ryokan, minshuku
P per capS$34 200
The year 2011 was indeed a terrible year for the Japanese, and it came hard on the heels of two pretty tough years by any standards, with the severe economic downturn brought on by the global Ànancial crisis of 2008. In March 2011, just as the plum trees had burst into bloom and the nation was gearing up for the annual orgy of hanamii (cherry-blossom viewing) parties, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck oՖ the northeast coast of Japan. The resulting tsunami (a word that, not coincidentally, happens to be Japanese) was of epic proportions: reaching almost 40m in height, it washed away entire villages along the east coast of Tľhoku (the northern part of the main island of Japan). To add to the devastation, the tsunami also triggered a major crisis at a nuclear powerplant in Fukushima Prefecture, about 240km northeast of Tokyo. At press time, the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which o erates the plants, working with the Japanese government, seemed to have rought that situation under control, but the entire nation was sti jittery an wondering how long it would be before the power stations could be declared cooled, cleared and no longer a concern Even without a sluggish economy and a severe natural disaster, things
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Ryokan Simply put, ryokan are traditional Japanese inns. Ryokan are where Japanese travellers stayed before they had heard the word hoteru (hotel). They are Japanese-style accommodation with tatami-mat rooms and futons instead of beds. Most serve Japanese-style breakfast and dinner, as well. However, this simple explanation doesn’t do justice to ryokan. A high-end ryokan is the last word in relaxation. The buildings them selves set the tone: they employ traditional Japanese architecture in which the whole structure is organic, made entirely of natural materials such as wood, earth, paper, grass, bamboo and stone. Indeed, a good r okan is an extension of the natural world. And nature comes into the
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PAGE
48
ON THE ROAD
YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE
In-depth reviews, detailed listings and insider tips
Sapporo & Hokkaidō p462
Northern Honshū p424 The Japan Alps & Central Honshū p169 Hiroshima & Kyoto # p249 ^ Western Honshū p364 Shikoku Kansai p524 p300 Kyūshū p563
Tokyo p50
# _
Mt Fuji & Around Tokyo p119
Okinawa & the Southwest Islands p634
SURVIVAL 739 GUIDE PAGE
Directory A-Z .................. Transport ........................ Language & Glossary .... Index ................................ Map Legend ....................
740 755 767 782 798
VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP
iPhone phrasebooks at the Apple App Store.
Language language Japanese is spoken by more than 125 million people. While it bears some resemblance to Altaic languages such as Mongolian and Turkish and has grammatical similarities to Korean, its origins are unclear. Chinese is responsible for the existence of many SinoJapanese words in Japanese, and for the originally Chinese kanji characters which the Japanese use in combination with the indigenous hiragana and katakana scripts. Three main dialect groups are spoken across Japan, but the standard language as spoken in Tokyo serves as the lingua franca. It’also the language used in this chapter, so you shouldn’t have problems making yourself understood anywhere in the country. Japanese pronunciation is easy to master for English speakers, as most of its sounds are also found in English. If you read our coloured pronunciation guides as if they were English, you’ll be understood. It’s important to make the distinction between short and long vowels, as vowel length can change the meaning of a word. The long vowels – shown in our pronunciation guides with a horizontal
BASICS
Japanese uses an array of registers of speech to reÁect social and contextual hierarchy, but these can be simpliÀed to the form most appropriate for the situation,which is what we’ve done in this language guide too.
Hello. Goodbye. Yes. No. Please. Thank you. Excuse me. Sorry.
ߎࠎߦߜߪ ޕkon·ni·chi·wa ߐࠃ߁ߥࠄ ޕsa·yľ·na·ra ߪޕ hai ߃ޕ ĝ·e ߊߛߐޕ ku·da·sai ࠅ߇ߣ߁ ޕa·ri·ga·tľ ߔߺ߹ߖࠎ ޕsu·mi·ma·sen ߏࠎߥߐޕgo·men·na·sai
You’re welcome.
ߤ߁ߚߒ߹ߒߡޕdľ i·ta·shi·mash·te How are you?
߅ర᳇ߢߔ߆!
o·gen·ki des ka
THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY
Chris Rowthorn, Andrew Bender, Laura Crawford, Matthew D Firestone, Timothy Hornyak, Rebecca Milner, Brandon Presser, Tom Spurling
Look out for these icons: author’s A green or No payment oOur recommendation Ssustainable option Frequired
TOKYO . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 MT FUJI & AROUND TOKYO . . . . 119 NORTH OF TOKYO . . . . . . . 122 Nikkō . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Gunma Prefecture . . . . . . .128 Mito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 WEST OF TOKYO . . . . . . . . . 130 Takao-san . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 Oku-Tama Region . . . . . . . 131 Mt Fuji Area . . . . . . . . . . . .132 Hakone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138 Izu Peninsula . . . . . . . . . . .143 SOUTH OF TOKYO . . . . . . . 150 Yokohama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Kamakura . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 EAST OF TOKYO . . . . . . . . . 160 Narita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .160 IZU ARCHIPELAGO . . . . . . 161 Ō-shima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162 Nii-jima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Shikine-jima . . . . . . . . . . . .163 Hachijō-jima . . . . . . . . . . . .164 OGASAWARA ARCHIPELAGO . . . . . . . . . . 165 Chichi-jima . . . . . . . . . . . . .166 Haha-jima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
THE JAPAN ALPS & CENTRAL HONSHŪ . .169
Gujō-Hachiman . . . . . . . . .186
KŌBE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
HIDA DISTRICT . . . . . . . . . . 187 Takayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Hida-Furukawa . . . . . . . . . .194 Shirakawa-gō & Gokayama . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
HIMEJI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
NORTHERN JAPAN ALPS . . .199 Kamikōchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
SHIGA PREFECTURE . . . . . 327 Hikone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328 NARA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331 AROUND NARA. . . . . . . . . .340 Yoshino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Fukuchi Onsen . . . . . . . . . .203
KII PENINSULA . . . . . . . . . .346 Kōya-san . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346 Yunomine, Watarase & Kawa-yu Onsen . . . . . . . . . 356
Shin-Hotaka Onsen . . . . . .203
ISE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
NAGANO PREFECTURE. . .204 Nagano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 Togakushi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209 Shiga Kōgen . . . . . . . . . . . . 211 Nozawa Onsen . . . . . . . . . .212 Hakuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .213 Bessho Onsen . . . . . . . . . . .215 Matsumoto . . . . . . . . . . . . .216 Hotaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220 Kiso Valley Region . . . . . . .221
NORTHERN KANSAI . . . . .360 Kinosaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
Shirahone Onsen . . . . . . . . 202 Hirayu Onsen . . . . . . . . . . .203
TOYAMA PREFECTURE . . . 223 Toyama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223 Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route . . . . . . . . . . 224 ISHIKAWA PREFECTURE . . 225 Kanazawa . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225 Noto Peninsula . . . . . . . . . 234 Kaga Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
NAGOYA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .171
FUKUI PREFECTURE . . . . . 239
AROUND NAGOYA . . . . . . . 182 Tokoname . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182 Inuyama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .183 Gifu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185
KYOTO . . . . . . . . . . . .249 KANSAI . . . . . . . . . . 300 OSAKA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .302
HIROSHIMA & WESTERN HONSHŪ . . . . . . . . . . 364 HIROSHIMA & AROUND. . . 365 Miyajima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .374 Iwakuni . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .377 Tomo-no-ura . . . . . . . . . . 379 Onomichi . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380 OKAYAMA & AROUND . . . . 381 Kurashiki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 390 Shōdo-shima . . . . . . . . . . 393 Naoshima . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396 Kasaoka Islands . . . . . . . 399 YAMAGUCHI & AROUND . .399 Tsuwano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402 Shimonoseki . . . . . . . . . . 405 Tawarayama Onsen . . . . . 409 Hagi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409 MATSUE & AROUND . . . . . 413 Izumo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417 Iwami Ginzan . . . . . . . . . . .418
See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.
On the Road TOTTORI & AROUND . . . . .420
NORTHERN HONSHŪ (TŌHOKU) . . . . . . . . 424 AOMORI PREFECTURE . . .426 Aomori . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 426 Hakkōda-san . . . . . . . . . . 429 Shimokita Peninsula . . . . 430 Hirosaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .431 Towada-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 AKITA PREFECTURE . . . . . 435 Tazawa-ko . . . . . . . . . . . . . 435 Kakunodate . . . . . . . . . . . 438 Akita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 440 YAMAGATA PREFECTURE . .442 Tsuruoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 442 Dewa Sanzan . . . . . . . . . . 444 Yamadera . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448 Zaō Onsen . . . . . . . . . . . . 449 NIIGATA PREFECTURE . . .450 Niigata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .451 Sado-ga-shima . . . . . . . . 453 Echigo-Yuzawa Onsen . . . 458 Naeba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459
SAPPORO & HOKKAIDŌ . . . . . . . 462 SAPPORO . . . . . . . . . . . . . .466 SOUTHERN HOKKAIDŌ . . . 477 Hakodate . . . . . . . . . . . . . .477 CENTRAL HOKKAIDŌ . . . . 481 Otaru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482 Niseko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485 Shikotsu-tōya National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489 NORTHERN HOKKAIDŌ . . . 492
Asahikawa . . . . . . . . . . . . Wakkanai . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park . . . . . . . . . . Furano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Daisetsuzan National Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
492 496 498 503 505
EASTERN HOKKAIDŌ . . . . 510 Abashiri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .510 Akan National Park . . . . . .513 Kushiro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 517 Shiretoko National Park . . . 518 TOKACHI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521 Ikeda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522 Erimo-misaki . . . . . . . . . . 522
SHIKOKU . . . . . . . . . .524 TOKUSHIMA PREFECTURE . . . . . . . . . . . . 525 Tokushima . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525 Iya Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535 Southern Tokushima Prefecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538 KŌCHI PREFECTURE . . . . .540 Kōchi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .541 Ashizuri-misaki . . . . . . . . . 546
Karatsu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .578 NAGASAKI PREFECTURE. . 581 Nagasaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .581 Hirado-jima . . . . . . . . . . . . 592 SHIMABARA PENINSULA . . 593 Unzen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594 Shimabara . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595 KUMAMOTO PREFECTURE . . . . . . . . . . . 596 Kumamoto. . . . . . . . . . . . . 596 Aso-san Area . . . . . . . . . . . .601 KAGOSHIMA PREFECTURE . . . . . . . . . . .605 Kagoshima. . . . . . . . . . . . . 605 Kirishima-Yaku National Park . . . . . . . . . . .614 Satsuma Peninsula . . . . . .615 MIYAZAKI PREFECTURE . . 617 Miyazaki . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 617 Aoshima & Kaeda. . . . . . . 622 Takachiho . . . . . . . . . . . . . 623 ŌITA PREFECTURE. . . . . . . 625 Beppu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 625 Yufuin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .631
EHIME PREFECTURE . . . . .546 Uwajima . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547 Matsuyama . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
OKINAWA & THE SOUTHWEST ISLANDS . . . . . . . . . 634
KAGAWA PREFECTURE . . . 556 Takamatsu . . . . . . . . . . . . . 559
KAGOSHIMA PREFECTURE . . . . . . . . . . . 637 Ōsumi Islands . . . . . . . . . . 637 Amami Islands . . . . . . . . . 643
KYŪSHŪ . . . . . . . . . . .563 FUKUOKA PREFECTURE . .566 Fukuoka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 566 Dazaifu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .576 SAGA PREFECTURE . . . . . . 578
OKINAWA PREFECTURE . .649 Okinawa-hontō . . . . . . . . . 649 Miyako Islands . . . . . . . . . 660 Yaeyama Islands . . . . . . . . 663
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HAMGYŎNGNAMDO Tropic of Cancer 40°N e 0 #
400 km 200 miles
40°N
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# PYONGYANG _
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# ]
Tōnghuà # \
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135°E
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NORTH KOREA
Kenroku-en, Kanazawa Perhaps Japan’s finest garden (p228)
_ SEOUL #
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Arashiyama’s Bamboo Grove Kyoto’s magical forest (p271)
Toyama # ^ # Kanazawa ^ Takayama
SOUTH KOREA
Matsue Tottori
# Izumo \
Hiroshima Vibrant city with tragic history (p365)
Tsu-shima
# Hamada \
# ^
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# ^
Takamatsu ^ # Tokushima Matsuyama
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Oku-no-in at Kōya-san Mysterious Buddhist graveyard (p348)
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Shikoku
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Russia
Russia Top Experiences ›
Russia
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RUSSIA
Sea of Okhotsk 145°E
140°E
Rebun-tō
45°N
ELEVATION Shiretoko National Park
Rishiri-tō
3000m
Ishik
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i Park ar Biei # \
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2500m
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Okushiri-tō
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Daisetsuzan National Park Northern wilderness (p505)
Hakodate
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# Aomori ^
Hachinohe ÷ Towada-Hachimantai # National Park # \
Tazawa-ko
# Akita ^
Sado-ga-shima # ^
Kakunodate Oshu \ # \ Hiraizumi # b # Shinjō Chūson-ji # \
Mogam i
# Sakata \ # Tsuruoka \
# \
Hiking in the Japan Alps The roof of Japan (p199)
#Morioka ^
Niigata
Kamikōchi Mountain-ringed sanctuary (p199)
#Sendai ^
# ^
Yamagata # ^
Fukushima
PACIFIC OCEAN
Honshū
Nikkō Nagano # \ # Maebashi ^ ^ # Utsunomiya # Mito ^ # ^ Matsumoto \ # # \ Urawa Tone Kamikōchi
Tsukiji Fish Market The world’s largest fish market (p57)
# ^ –Tokyo Narita # # ^ _ Kōfu ^ # # International Airport Mt Fuji R TOKYO Chiba # ^ (3776m)
35°N
Yokohama
# Shizuoka ^
Mt Fuji Japan’s eternal symbol (p132)
The Daibutsu of Nara The greatest Buddha in Japan (p334) Kumano Kodō Japan’s ancient pilgrimage route (p352)
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To Ogasawara-shotō (500km)
e # 0 0
500 km 250 miles
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Itineraries
Whether you’ve got six days or 60, these itineraries provide a starting point for the trip of a lifetime. Want more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet. com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.
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# Nikkō •
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Oku-Tama Region
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R Mt Fuji (3776m)
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# Fuji-Yoshida •
TOKYO
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Kamakura
One Week
Tokyo & Around If your time in Japan is limited, don’t try to do too much. Fly into Narita or Haneda (the latter is closer to the city). Stay in a convenient transport hub like Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ginza or the Tokyo Station area. Visit Tsukiji fish market your first morning (a good idea if you’ve got jetlag). Next, head up to Asakusa to visit the temple of Sensō-ji, then over to nearby Ueno for the Tokyo National Museum. The next day, take the loop line to Harajuku and walk to Meiji-jingū, the city’s finest Shintō shrine, then take a stroll down chic Omote-sandō. From there, head up to Shibuya to soak up some of modern Tokyo. Make sure you spend an evening wandering east Shinjuku, since this is where you’ll get the full experience of Tokyo’s neon madness. Other urban areas to check out include Ginza, for high-end shopping; Akihabara, for electronics and geek culture; and Roppongi, for international nightlife. Break up your time in Tokyo with day trips to nearby attractions like the fantastic shrines at Nikkō and the temples at Kamakura; if you’re a hiker and it’s summertime, you could even climb Mt Fuji.
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Noto Peninsula
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TOKYO
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Honshū
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Mt Fuji (3776m) R
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# Nagoya •
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Northern Japan Alps Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Kanazawa • # • # • # Shinhotaka Onsen • # Kamikōchi • # • # Gokayama ShirakawaÉ • # go Takayama
Izu Peninsula Ō-shima
10 Days to Two Weeks
Tokyo, the Japan Alps & Kyoto The Tokyo–Japan Alps–Kyoto route is the classic Japan journey and the best way to get a quick taste of the country. You’ll experience three faces of Japan: the modern wonders of Tokyo, the traditional culture of Kyoto, and the natural beauty of the Japan Alps. While you can do this itinerary in any season, keep in mind that the Japan Alps can be snow covered any time from early November to late March – this rules out hiking unless you’re an experienced winter mountaineer – but you can visit the attractive cities of Takayama and Kanazawa any time of year. Let’s assume that you’ll fly into Tokyo. Follow the preceding Tokyo & Around itinerary, which will give you a taste of things in the capital. Don’t worry about skipping some of the traditional sights in that itinerary, because you’ll be heading to Kyoto, and you’ll get your fill of shrines and temples there. From Tokyo, take the shinkansen (bullet train) to Nagoya, then an express to Takayama. Spend a day here checking out the restored Sanmachi-suji district, then head into the Japan Alps via Shinhotaka Onsen or nearby Kamikōchi. Return to Takayama and rent a car so you can visit the nearby thatched-roof villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama. From there, if you feel like some more alpine scenery, drive northeast and head back into the Japan Alps via the Tateyama–Kurobe Alpine Route (the route is open from late spring to early fall). Next, drive to Kanazawa (some rental agencies will allow you to drop the car in Kanazawa). Note that you can also go from Takayama to Kanazawa by bus, with a stop in Shirakawa-go en route. In Kanazawa, check out the famous garden of Kenroku-en, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art and the Nagamachi district. From Kanazawa, there are several daily express trains that will get you to Kyoto in a little over two hours. In Kyoto, follow the Kansai in Depth itinerary, then jump on the shinkansen and get yourself back to Tokyo in time for your flight home.
PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S
GREG ELMS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
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FRANK DEIM / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
» (above) A young maiko (apprentice geisha) is pretty as a picture on a Kyoto street (p249). » (left) Tokyo’s Shinjuku district (p71) is pulsing with life.
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# Rebun-tō f
f #
• #
• #
Sōya-misaki
Wakkanai
SEA OF O K H OT S K
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Rishiri-tō
Shiretoko National Park
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HOKKAIDŌ
Shari
Asahikawa • #
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• # Asahidake Onsen
# Biei •
Otaru É
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Sapporo
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National Park
Daisetsuzan National Park
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Kushiro Shitsugen National Park
Noboribetsu Onsen
# Hakodate •
Three Weeks
The Wilds of Hokkaidō Whether you’re on a JR Pass or flying directly, Sapporo makes a good hub for Hokkaidō excursions. If you’re here in February, your prize for enduring the arctic cold is a front-row seat at the Sapporo Snow Festival, highlighted by life-size carvings of everything from European cityscapes to elaborate ice mazes. But any time of year is perfect for a visit to the Sapporo Bīru-en, birthplace of Hokkaidō’s golden lager. On a day trip from Sapporo, see romantic Otaru, with its Victorian brick warehouses and unbelievably fresh sushi spreads. If you have a little more time to spare, a couple of nights in Hakodate transports you back to the era of European colonisation. On the way back to Sapporo, hot-springs fans can take a healing dip in the famed waters of Noboribetsu Onsen. In the winter months, Niseko is an absolute must for powder fiends. Whether you’re partial to parabolic skis or a waxed-up snowboard, this alpine village is nothing short of a carver’s paradise. The burgeoning expat population also ensures fine cosmopolitan eating and a boisterous nightlife. In the summer months, make a brief stop in Asahikawa for a few rounds of Otokoyama sake before pressing on to the northern outpost of Wakkanai. From here, take the ferry to the islands of Rishiri-tō and Rebun-tō in search of the annual wildflower blooms. On the return, see Sōya-misaki, Japan’s northernmost point. From there, jump to Asahidake Onsen, and hike around Daisetsuzan National Park. As a complement to burning shoe leather, jump behind the wheel of a rental car and explore the lavender fields and gourmet attractions in the countryside around Furano and Biei. Although smaller than Niseko, Furano is an impressive skiing and snowboarding destination in its own right. If you really want to leave it all behind, head east to Shari, the jumping-off point for Shiretoko National Park. But don’t forget your bear bell, as humans aren’t the only creatures that call this remote peninsula home. For more passive encounters, you can watch cranes and deer in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park. And don’t forget about marimo, the anthropogenic balls of algae that inhabit Akan National Park. This is also a top spot to learn more about the island’s traditional Ainu culture.
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• #Kinosaki
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Hiroshima
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Ise
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Shikoku West from the Old Capital Kansai in Depth
Two Weeks
Two to Three Weeks
Kansai in Depth
West from the Old Capital
Kansai contains the thickest concentration of must-sees in all of Japan. If you want to see a lot of traditional Japanese sights without spending a lot of time in transit, then spending your entire trip in Kansai is a great idea. Kyoto is the obvious place to base yourself: it’s central and it’s got a wide range of excellent accommodation, not to mention the nation’s finest temples, gardens and shrines. Spend a day exploring the Higashiyama area (both southern and northern), followed by another day strolling through the bamboo groves of Arashiyama. Then, hop on a train for a day trip to Nara to see the sights of Nara-kōen, including Tōdaiji, with its enormous Buddha figure. Another day trip to see Ise-jingū, in the town of Ise, is highly recommended – the ride is scenic and the shrine is awe-inspiring. If you’ve got the urge to see the modern side of Japan, Osaka is only about 30 minutes by train from Kyoto. And if you really want to wind down and relax, an overnight trip up to the onsen town of Kinosaki will be the perfect way to round off your Kansai experience.
This route can be done with a start in Tokyo (Haneda or Narita Airports), Nagoya (Centrair), or Kansai (KIX). If you fly into Tokyo or Nagoya, check out those cities, then jump on the shinkansen for the quick trip to Kyoto, which is worth as many days as you can give it – see the Kansai in Depth itinerary for some ideas of what to see there. After soaking up Kyoto’s traditional culture, consider a day and night in Osaka (especially if you won’t be visiting Tokyo). This will give you a dose of the modern urban Japanese phenomenon, with all that it entails. From Osaka, head west to Himeji. The famous castle here, Himeji-jō, is presently ‘under wraps’ while it’s being restored, but you can see enough to make it interesting. Then, travel to the island of Naoshima, in the Inland Sea, near the city of Okayama. The entire island has been converted into a giant art museum and it’s a must for culture vultures. Return to the mainland and travel west to visit Hiroshima and learn about its tragic history (consider spending the night on Miyajima), then head east to catch your return flight.
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Kyoto
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Himeji
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SHAYNE HILL / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
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JTB PHOTO / PHOTOLIBRARY ©
» (above) A tranquil tableau on the trail to Jōmon Sugi (p639), Yakushima. » (left) Beckoned by an inviting sea on Miyako-Jima (p660).
# Kagoshima •
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É • #
Yakushima
É • # Amami-Ōshima
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PACIFIC OCEAN
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Aka-jima • # # Kerama Archipelago •
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Ishigaki• # jima Miyako-jima
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Yonagunijima
Iriomote- • # Taketomi-jima jima • # Hateruma-jima
Three Weeks
Island-Hopping Through the Southwest Islands If you fancy beaches, jungles and coral reefs, island-hopping through the Southwest Islands is a unique adventure. Start in the city of Kagoshima, on the southern island of Kyūshū, and catch a ferry to Yakushima, a wild island of eons-old Japanese cedar trees including Jōmon Sugi, hikable in a day. Return to Kagoshima and board an overnight ferry to the island of Amami-Ōshima, which has some great beaches and subtropical jungles. From there, board another ferry and head south to tiny Yoron-tō. This little gem is fringed by beaches on all sides, and has some great snorkelling and windsurfing spots. After a few days kicking back on Yoron’s sands, hop on another ferry for the short ride to Naha, on the island of Okinawa-hontō. Check out the city for a day or two, and then take the short ferry trip out to Kerama Archipelago. Here, the tiny island of Aka-jima has some of the best beaches in the entire archipelago. If you’re out of time, you can fly back to the mainland from Naha; otherwise, take a flight from Naha to Miyako-jima and spend a couple of days experiencing its long, golden beaches and outlying islets. A short flight will then take you to Ishigaki-jima. If you’ve got scuba certification and you’re there between June and October, you’ll want to dive amid swarms of manta rays offshore. If not, just chill out along the fabulous bay beaches around Ishigaki’s Kabira-wan. Next, grab a short-haul ferry to neighbouring, jungle-covered Iriomote-jima, which has some incredible coral reefs around its shores, as well as river cruises along mangrove forests and some very wild hikes through the interior. Back on Ishigaki-jima, a variety of ferries can whisk you to some minor but fascinating outlying islands: pancake-flat Taketomi-jima hosts a small community of wonderfully preserved Okinawan houses with heavy tile roofs and shīsā (protective lion statues); laid-back and covered with sugarcane fields, Hateruma-jima is Japan’s southernmost inhabited island and has beaches with pristine turquoise waters; Yonaguni-jima, Japan’s westernmost island and some 100km from Taiwan, is a hot spot for hammerhead sharks in winter. At all times of the year, visitors come to see a collection of bizarre undersea blocks that some say are the ruins of a lost civilisation. Return to Ishigaki-jima for the flight back to the mainland.
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EAST CHINA SEA
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Okayama
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10 Days
One Week
Kyūshū & Yakushima
Inland Sea
Sunny Kagoshima offers an instant change of pace from the rest of Japan. Sengan-en garden and Sakurajima volcano are must-sees before going south for a sand bath in the seaside town of Ibusuki or testing your chopstick skills fishing noodles from a tank near Ikedako. Then catch the shinkansen north to plunge into samurai history at the fabulous Kumamoto-jō, and head inland to Asosan, the world’s largest volcanic caldera. If you have time and enjoy hiking, take a ferry south from Kagoshima to the island of Yakushima for some hiking and onsens. Nagasaki is known for tragedy, and visiting the atomic-bombing sights offers a lesson that can never be learned too often, but this welcoming city also bubbles with colourful East-West history and unique fusion cuisine. From here, train it to Arita for immersion in Japan’s heralded ceramics history at Kyūshū Ceramic Museum (and nearby galleries!). Crowning the island is worldly, rivercrossed Fukuoka, Kyūshū’s largest city, crammed with spirited dining and nightlife in the lanes of Tenjin and Daimyō. Shoot across the island’s northeast to finish your adventure with a relaxing soak in one of the eight hot-spring enclaves of seaside Beppu.
Start day one in the city of Okayama, allowing enough time to stroll the feted garden Kōraku-en before finding lodgings. On day two it’s a morning train and ferry ride to Naoshima, artsy star of the Inland Sea, where you can lose yourself among installations and subterranean museums. Take your time and spend two nights here. On day four, head back to the mainland and onwards to Kasaoka to catch the afternoon boat for Manabe-shima. A seafood dinner and a soak in the open-air tub at Santora, on the island, should see you feeling refreshed on day five – go for a morning wander around this quiet, felinefriendly island. If you haven’t decided to throw it all in and move here, return to Kasaoka and catch a train down the coast to Onomichi. Squeeze in a temple walk or learn about Onomichi’s literary history, but eat plenty of the local rāmen to prepare for day six – cycling the Shimanami Kaidō. You could go flat out to Shikoku, but it’s better to stop at Ikuchi-jima, see colourful Kōsan-ji, and rest up for the night. Day seven, get back on the bike, or turn in your wheels and take the ferry back to port.
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Skiing in Japan What to Bring Almost everything you need is available in Japan. However, due to prices or difficulty in finding some items, it’s best to bring the following things from abroad: Lift pass chip case Look for the ‘around the arm’–type case to hold your pass. You will be scanning this at every lift, and the case attached to your arm is easily the best place to keep it. Goggles They’re very expensive in Japan, so it’s best to bring your own. Essential toiletries Sunblock, aspirin and other pharmacy items you’re used to may be hard to track down, so it’s best to bring your own favourites. Large-sized ski boots Rental places at most resorts have boots of up to 30cm (which is equivalent to men’s size 12 in the USA, UK or Australia). Resorts such as Niseko, which attract strong international followings, typically stock larger sizes. But if you have very large feet, play it safe and bring your own boots. Mobile phones Many of Japan’s ski areas are covered by one or more mobile-phone networks, and these are a great way to keep in touch with others in your party. Mobile phones are easy to rent in Japan (see p749).
Japan is home to more than 600 ski resorts, all of which offer regular snowfall, stunning mountain vistas, well-groomed runs, friendly locals, excellent food and an incredible variety of onsen (hot springs) for that allimportant après-ski soak. Quite simply, Japan may be one of the skiing world’s bestkept secrets. As an added bonus, skiing in Japan is remarkably reasonable: it generally costs less to ski here than in comparable areas in North America or Europe. Finally, if you plan your itinerary accordingly, it’s possible to head from powdery slope to Zen garden with relative ease, allowing for one of the most exotic ski holidays imaginable. The ski season officially starts in December, though conditions are highly variable. During this time, resorts will intermittently open runs depending on the quality and quantity of snowfall. January and February are peak months across the country. Things begin to warm up in March, heralding the close of the ski season before the start of April.
Costs Many people unfamiliar with skiing in Japan often assume that it will cost an arm and a leg to ski here. But, even after factoring in the international air ticket, it might actually be cheaper to ski for a week in Japan than in your home country. Are we mad? Well, let’s check the numbers. » Lift tickets and equipment rental A full-day lift ticket at most ski areas in Japan costs between ¥4000 and ¥5500. This is significantly less than
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DID YOU KNOW? » Hokkaidō’s Niseko ski area receives a whopping 15m of snow every year. » More than two-thirds of foreign skiers at Niseko come from Australia. » The first Winter Olympics held outside Europe or North America was at Sapporo in 1972.
PL AN YOUR TRIP S K I I N G I N J A PA N
» Snowboarding first debuted as an Olympic sport at the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. » Naeba is home to the world’s longest ski lift, the ‘Dragondola’ (5.5km). a full day at large resorts in North America or Europe. Many resorts also offer packages including lunch or even a dip in an onsen. Even if you don’t have your own equipment, full equipment rental is typically no more than ¥5000 per day (both ski and snowboard sets are available). The Japanese tend to be connoisseurs of quality, which means that you need not worry about getting stuck with shabby and/or outdated gear. » Accommodation You can find plenty of upmarket accommodation in the ¥6500 to ¥10,000 range at major ski areas in Japan, and this price will often include one or two meals. This is often less than half of what you’d expect to pay for similar accommodation in the USA or Europe. The budget traveller will find a variety of backpacker-type hostels near most resorts, and families will be glad to know that young children (under six years of age) can usually stay for free or at a significant discount. » Food On-slope meals top out at around ¥1000, which is slightly less than what you’d pay in North America or Europe. The restaurant selection anywhere you go is also varied, including the likes of rāmen (egg noodles), udon (wheat noodles), curry-rice and beef bowls, as well as more familiar fast-food options including sandwiches, pizza, burgers and kebabs. Beer and snacks, however, can be quite expensive – better to bring your own rather than buy from one of the ubiquitous convenience stores. » Transport Airport-to-resort transport in Japan costs no more than in other countries, and is usually faster and more efficient (and, unlike in North America, you don’t need to rent a car).
Where to Ski Japan’s best ski resorts are found in the Japan Alps region of Central Honshū, and on the northern island of Hokkaidō. The former lays claim to the highest mountains, while the latter boasts the deepest and most regular snowfall in the country. Although
the ski resorts of Northern Honshū were not directly affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, it remains to be seen whether or not they will open to full capacity during the life cycle of this edition. If you’re planning on doing a bit of sightseeing in Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima, the ski resorts in the Japan Alps are a quick and convenient add-on. Niseko and Furano on the island of Hokkaidō might be the way to go if your main goal is Sapporo. To be fair, however, Japan’s small size and excellent infrastructure means that the difference is really only one quick internal flight. What follows is our overview of the five best ski areas in Japan. This is just to whet your appetite, of course, as there are over 600 more that we don’t mention here! » Happō-one (p213) Happō-one (pronounced ‘hah-poh-oh-nay’) is the quintessential Japan Alps ski resort. With the sprawling Hakuba mountain range as a backdrop, it offers eye-popping views in addition to excellent and varied skiing. The layout is pretty straightforward here, with plenty of good wide burners heading straight down the fall line from the top of the area. » Shiga Kōgen (p211) Also in the Japan Alps, Shiga Kōgen is one of the largest ski resorts in the world, with an incredible 21 different areas, all interconnected by trails and lifts and accessible with one lift ticket. With such a variety of terrain on offer, there is something for everyone here, including skier-only areas and family-fun runs. » Nozawa Onsen (p212) This quaint little Swissstyle village is tucked high up in the Japan Alps. Despite its small size, it has a good variety of runs, including some challenging mogul courses. Snowboarders will enjoy the terrain park and half-pipe, and there’s even a cross-country skiing course that traverses the peaks. » Niseko (p485) As far as most foreign skiers are concerned, Niseko is how you say ‘powder’ in Japanese. This is understandable, as Niseko
PL AN YOUR TRIP S K I I N G I N J A PA N
RYAN CREARY / ALL CANADA PHOTOS / CORBIS ©
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JOHN BORTHWICK / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ©
» (above) A snowboarder enjoys the characteristic fresh powder of Niseko (p485). » (left) The ever-popular Hakuba offers Olympic-standard runs (p213).
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SKIING LESSONS IN ENGLISH The following outfits offer skiing lessons in English for both children and adults (usually with foreign instructors). » Canyons Japan (www.canyons.jp/index_E.html) With a base at Hakuba (p213), close to Happō-one, Canyons offers skiing, backcountry skiing and snowboarding lessons, as well as snowshoeing tours.
PL AN YOUR TRIP S K I I N G I N J A PA N
» Evergreen Outdoor Center (www.evergreen-hakuba.com) Also in Hakuba, Evergreen offers skiing, snowboarding, powder skiing and telemark lessons. » Myōkō Backcountry Ski School (www.myokobackcountry.com/english/index. html) Headquartered in Myōkō Kōgen (p460), this outfit specialises in telemark tours through the backwoods. receives an average snowfall of 15m annually. Located on Hokkaidō, Niseko is actually four interconnected ski areas: Hirafu, Higashiyama, Annupuri and Hanazono. » Furano (p503) Also located on the island of Hokkaidō, Furano shot to world fame after hosting 10 FIS World Ski Cup and two FIS World Snowboarding Cup events. Relatively undiscovered in comparison to Niseko, Furano rewards savvy powder fiends with polished runs through pristine birch forests.
Can You Say ‘Ski’ in Japanese? That’s right: it’s ‘ski’ (all right, it’s pronounced more like ‘sukee’). But the point is that communication won’t be much of a problem on your Japan ski trip. Tackling the language barrier has never been easier: most resorts employ a number of English-speaking foreigners on workingholiday visas. They work the lifts and in the cafeterias, and often find employment in the hotels or guesthouses that are most popular with foreign guests. All major signs and maps are translated into English, and provided you have some experience at large resorts back home, you’ll find the layout and organisation of Japanese resorts to be pretty intuitive. The information counter at the base of the mountain always has helpful and polite staff available to answer questions.
The Japanese Way of Skiing Snow is snow, skis are skis, right? How different can it be to ski in Japan? Not very much, but it’s the little differences that will keep reminding you that you’re not in, say, Colorado or the Swiss Alps. For example: » Lift-line management is surprisingly poor in Japan. Skiers are often left to jostle and fend for themselves, and even when it’s crowded, singles are allowed to ride triple and quad lifts alone. » Not all resorts use the green/blue/black coding system for difficulty. Some have red, purple, orange, dotted lines, or black-numbered runs on the map. » The majority of Japanese skiers start skiing at 9am, have lunch exactly at noon, and get off the hill by 3pm. If you work on a slightly different schedule, you will avoid a lot of the crowds. » The signposting is inconsistent and irregular, something you may not expect in Japan. It’s a good idea to study the map carefully and plan a central meeting point and/or time at the beginning of the day. » Off-piste and out-of-bounds skiing is often high quality but also highly illegal and potentially dangerous, resulting in the confiscation of your lift pass if you’re caught by the ski patrol. Cut the ropes at your own risk. » Pop music – often really annoying pop music – is played along ski lifts and in restaurants. Bring an MP3 player if you prefer real music to the latest girl/boy band.
Matthew D Firestone Northern Honshū; Sapporo & Hokkaidō; Skiing in Japan Matt is a trained anthropologist and epidemiologist who has authored more than two dozen guidebooks for Lonely Planet, and covered far-flung destinations from the Darién Gap to the Dead Sea. When he’s not living the Tokyo high life with his wonderful wife or out in the field on assignment, he likes to spend his free time exploring the American West with his parents, or catching up with the in-laws on the foothills of Mt Fuji. Timothy Hornyak The Japan Alps & Central Honshū; Okinawa & the Southwest Islands A native of Montreal, Tim Hornyak moved to Japan in 1999 after watching Kurosawa’s Ran too many times. Since then, he has written on Japanese culture, technology and history for CNET News, Scientific American and Far Eastern Economic Review. He has played bass in a rock band in Tokyo, lectured on Japanese robots at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and travelled to the heart of Hokkaidō to find the remains of a forgotten theme park called Canadian World. Tim is the author of Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots and his favourite robot is Astro Boy, but he firmly believes that the greatest Japanese invention of all time is the onsen. Rebecca Milner Mt Fuji & Around Tokyo Rebecca first travelled ‘around Tokyo’ when she moved to the Japanese capital in 2002 from California. Since then, and in between long trips around Asia, she paid her dues teaching English, waiting tables and studying Japanese. These days she works as a freelance writer, publishing regularly on CNN Go, Tokyo Art Beat and in Tokyo’s local Metropolis magazine. She is also currently working with a Japanese media team on a project documenting littleknown regional cuisines, for which she has been travelling to villages from Hokkaidō to Okinawa. For this book, she found herself revisiting in almost uncanny chronological order the places that formed her first impression of Japan nine years ago. This is Rebecca’s first Lonely Planet title. Brandon Presser Tokyo; Arts & Architecture Tokyo has held a special place in Brandon’s heart for as long as he can remember. At Harvard University he wrote his thesis on the city’s fascinating hybrid architecture and has since collaborated with many Japanese architects throughout his professional career. These days Brandon has joined the glamorous ranks of eternal nomadism – he travels the world, pen in hand – and has contributed to more than 20 Lonely Planet titles, from Iceland to Thailand and many lands in between. Tom Spurling Shikoku Tom Spurling has worked on Lonely Planet guides to Central America, Australia, Turkey and India. His first experience in Japan was a naked job interview in a sports club near Kōbe where his apartment overlooked the castle of the nationally televised TV series The Samurai. When not teaching English as a very foreign language, he’s been humbled by plum wine–drunk kendo masters, explored the mossier side of Kansai’s rock bars and gardens with a Zen Buddhist techno DJ and ashamedly travelled from Hokkaidō to Okinawa on a forged Japan Rail pass. For this edition, Tom discovered world-class surf beaches and a super orange vitamin drink. Unfortunately, by following the great Buddhist saint Kōbō Daishi’s pilgrimage in the wrong direction around the island, he may have unwittingly released a powerful demon force.
OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
OUR WRITERS Chris Rowthorn Coordinating Author; Kyoto; Kansai Born in England and raised in the USA, Chris has lived in Kyoto since 1992. Soon after his arrival in Kyoto, Chris started studying the Japanese language and culture. In 1995 he became a regional correspondent for the Japan Times. He joined Lonely Planet in 1996 and has worked on guides to Kyoto, Tokyo, Japan and hiking in Japan. When not on the road, he spends his time seeking out Kyoto’s best restaurants, temples, hiking trails and gardens. Chris wrote a book in Japanese with professional guide Koko Ijuin, called Pro ga Oshieru: Genba no Eigo Tsuyaku Gaido Skiru (Pro English Guide Skills), for Japanese guides who want to explain the country to Western tourists. He conducts walking tours of Kyoto, Nara and Tokyo. For more on Chris, check out his website at www.chrisrowthorn.com. Andrew Bender Kyūshū France was closed, so after college Andy left his native New England for Japan. It ended up being a life-changing journey, as visits to Japan often are. He’s since mastered chopsticks, the language, karaoke and taking his shoes off at the door. Now, from his home base in Los Angeles, he writes about Japan for the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, Travel + Leisure and inflight magazines, not to mention over a half-dozen Lonely Planet titles. In an effort towards ever greater trans-Pacific harmony, Andy also assists business with cross-cultural consulting and sometimes helps tour groups around Japan. Find out more at www.wheres-andy-now.com. Laura Crawford Hiroshima & Western Honshū English-born and Australian-raised, Laura first went to Japan after a last-minute undergraduate decision to major in Japanese led to university in Kansai. She later travelled up and down the country, set up home in Osaka for two years, returned to Oz to write a thesis on Japanese English, and eventually landed a job as an editor in Lonely Planet’s Melbourne office. Her favourite on-the-road memory: walking through the predawn mist to take an onsen soak in Yunotsu.
OVER MORE PAGE WRITERS Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd ABN 36 005 607 983 Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about 12th edition – Sep 2011 the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxiISBN 978 1 74179 805 0 mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use. © Lonely Planet 2011 Photographs © as indicated 2011 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Printed in China All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
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