Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for japan
Hiking and Hot Springs in Hokkaido
By Linda Tancs
Named after the volcanic caldera lakes of Lake Shikotsu and Lake Tōya, Shikotsu-Tōya National Park is located in Hokkaido, the second-largest and least developed of Japan’s four main islands. The rugged wilderness offers refuge for many endemic species of flora and fauna, including Ezo foxes, black woodpeckers and alpine hares. Untouched woodland provides spectacular trekking opportunities along steep-sided Hohei Gorge. You’ll also find many bathing spots among the hot springs; the popular hot spring resort of Noboribetsu is within the park. Another adventure worth checking out is a ride on the Mount Usu Ropeway, a line that climbs Mount Usu, an active volcano in the park. Mount Yōtei, one of the highest peaks in the park, is said to be a look-alike Mount Fuji. See if you agree.
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Billed as the Great North American Eclipse, a total solar eclipse will cross North America on April 8, 2024, passing over Mexico, the United States and Canada. The path of the eclipse begins in Mexico, entering the United States in Texas, and traveling through Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. The eclipse will enter Canada in Southern Ontario, and continue through Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Cape Breton. This will be the last time any solar eclipse will be visible within the United States until 2045.
Be prepared! So long as supplies last, you can purchase eclipse glasses and other accessories, like a phone app and photo filter, from American Paper Optics, a NASA-approved manufacturer. The link in the preceding sentence is an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the link and purchase merchandise from the page, then I may receive a small commission.
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Fields of Lavender in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Although there are numerous flower fields of various sizes across Furano, Japan, a major draw are the lavender fields that peak from around mid-July to early August. Once a thriving agricultural product in the region, competing imports have shifted the focus to a booming tourism market. The best place for viewing is Farm Tomita, where the Tokachi mountain range provides a magnificent backdrop for the fields. At the farm’s sister site, Lavender East, you can take the Lavender Bus through the fields. Naturally, you can buy a range of lavender-related products as well.
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Old Wood in Japan
By Linda Tancs
The world’s oldest surviving wooden structures are found on the grounds of Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan, the only Buddhist monastery remaining from the Asuka Period. It was built in A.D. 607 during the reign of Prince Shotoku, who helped spread Buddhism. The complex contains dozens of historical and cultural properties, many of them designated as National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties. Not surprisingly, Horyuji is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first in the country to be so designated along with Himeji Castle. Highlights include a five-story pagoda and the octagonal Yumedono, or Hall of Dreams.
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White Heron Castle
By Linda Tancs
Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle complex situated in the city of Himeji in the Hyōgo Prefecture of Japan. One of the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it’s popularly known as “White Heron Castle” because it resembles the outstretched wings of a white heron. Naturally, white is a predominant color that graces the castle walls. The first fortifications built on the site were completed in the 1400s; the main keep seen today dates from 1609. Most visitors enter the complex through the Sannomaru, a large, cherry tree-lined lawn and a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms in early April.
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Snow Monsters in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Mount Zao is a volcanic mountain range in the Tohoku region of Japan. Known for its rough winters, it’s no surprise that the tall fir trees on the mountain’s slopes are draped in snow and ice. Their surreal look has earned them the nickname “snow monsters.” They form around the peak of the Zao Ski Resort and are usually most spectacular around February. Access to the monsters is provided by a ropeway and a gondola for both skiers and non-skiers.
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Nature and Art in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Blending art into the natural environment, Hakone Open-Air Museum is Japan’s first open-air museum. The verdant lawns provide an ideal exhibition space for attractions like the sculpture garden. One of the highlights is the Symphonic Sculpture, where visitors enter and ascend a spiral staircase surrounded by colorful stained glass to a viewing platform with views of the park and the surrounding mountains. The Hakone Open Air Museum is a few steps from Chokoku No Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway. Take advantage of one of the hot springs baths while you’re in town.
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Rabbit Island
By Linda Tancs
In Okunoshima, you can rest assured that some bunny loves you. All puns aside, the Japanese island in eastern Hiroshima is known as Rabbit Island for a reason. Make that 1,000 reasons. A rabbit lover’s paradise, you’ll find them everywhere from forest to beach. Early mornings and late evenings are the best times to take photos. Keep a respectful distance, don’t feed them (except for refilling water pans) and don’t try to take one home with you. The island is a 15-minute ferry ride from Tadanômi Port with services leaving roughly every 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the Inland Sea and its many islands.
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Japan’s Ramen Museum
By Linda Tancs
Ramen is arguably the national dish of Japan, with styles varying according to the region in which it is served. There’s even a museum dedicated to the stretchy noodle. Shin-Yokohama Raumen Museum in Yokohama is designed like a food court, offering up different styles of ramen and featuring original recipes from its inception. You’ll learn about ramen history and have the opportunity to participate in a noodle-making workshop.
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Japan’s Bathing Beauties
By Linda Tancs
Buried in snow almost one third of the year, Japan’s Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano is home to Japanese macaques, popularly known as snow monkeys. The northernmost living nonhuman primate, they descend from the forest to bathe in naturally occurring hot springs, a pleasant respite from a cold day. Part of Jōshin’etsu-kōgen National Park, the monkey park is reportedly the only place in the world where monkeys bathe in hot springs. The park is not a zoo; the monkeys are wild and come and go as they please, enticed by feedings by professional staff. Keep a respectful distance when taking photos, or else you may go home with one less piece of equipment.
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A Spiritual Quest in Japan
By Linda Tancs
Kumano Kodo is one of only two UNESCO-registered pilgrimage sites in the world (the other being Camino de Santiago). It’s a 1,000-year-old trek in Japan, plied by aristocrats and monks alike. The route is actually a network of trails stretched across the mountainous Kii Peninsula. One of the most popular trails is Nakahechi, extensively used by the imperial family on pilgrimage from Kyoto beginning in the 10th century. Your own route will depend on your ultimate destination, which might include Kumano Sanzan, a term used to collectively describe the three most sacred shrines in the area, one of the biggest draws of the pilgrimage. The main transport hubs to the region are Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya.
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