Travel in Japan

I`ve been in Japan for almost 2 years and I`ve been lucky to have enough free time in order to explore this wonderful country. I have never been to a place in Japan that I didn`t like. Each place has something special to offer. Here are my top 10 places:

1) Tokyo: I live in Tokyo, which is a huge city teeming with people and buildings. A friend of mine said that Tokyo is just a place to shop and eat. There are tons of good restaurants, actually. The areas in Tokyo I like the most are Shimokitazawa and Asakusa. Shimokitazawa has lots of second hand clothes and some nice restaurants. It is famous because there are many places to watch live shows. Lots of young people go there on weekends to shop and listen to music. To get to Shimokitazawa, go to Shinjuku station and take the Odakyu line or go to Shibuya and take the Keio Inokashira line. Near the Odakyu line, there`s a bar where beer costs 180 yen! I definitely recommend it.
Asakusa is one of the oldest areas in Tokyo. It has a very old temple called Sensoji. Asakusa is also famous for monjayaki, which is one of the few foods that actually comes from Tokyo. Some people say it looks like vomit, but it tastes really good. It`s made using cabbage, flour and water plus different toppings such as chicken or vegetables. If you go to a monjayaki restaurant, you have to cook it yourself. Near Asakusa, there`s a street called Kappabashi where restaurant owners go for cooking supplies and for the plastic food which is displayed outside most restaurants.
2) Kyoto: Kyoto is the traditional heart of Japan. Japanese people often tell me it`s their favourite place because of the myriad number of temples. There are several temples I recommend. The most famous temple in Kyoto is Kiyomizudera. The suffix -dera means temple and Kiyomizu means pure water. There is a very large fountain at the temple which is lucky to drink from. The 3 temples I like the most are Ryoanji, Kodaiji and Tenryuji. Ryoanji is famous for its rock garden. Kodaiji is quite close to Kiyomizudera. Tenryuji also has a beautiful garden. Tenryuji is located in Arashiyama, on the western side of Kyoto. Arashiyama is famous for its monkey park, though I was told it`s not that impressive, so I didn`t go in.
3)Osaka: Osaka is the second largest city in Japan after Tokyo, so there is a certain amount of rivalry. A Japanese friend of mine said that Osaka is not a place for tourists - it`s a place you go to for the people and the food. Osaka is famous as the birthplace of many Japanese comedians, so it`s considered a funny city. People are usually more friendly compared to Tokyo. It`s also one of the few places in Japan where people J-walk. I do like the aquarium in Osaka, which is called Kaiyukan. Osaka has the Japanese Universal Studios, but I haven`t had the chance to visit. The most famous food in Osaka is okonomiyaki and takoyaki. Okonomiyaki is a cross between an omelette, pancake and pizza. This is my favourite Japanese food. It`s cooked with cabbage, eggs, flour and a type of potato called yamaimo (literally, mountain potato). It`s like a pizza because the "toppings" are first grilled and then the okonomiyaki batter is poured on top.
4)Kanazawa: Kanazawa means, golden marshes. It`s also known as a small Kyoto, but it`s much less crowded with tourists. Kanazawa is about 3 hours north of Kyoto by train. Kanazawa is famous for Kenrokuen garden. The suffix -en means garden. According to the Chinese tradition, it is the garden of 6 sublimities (roku means 6). The legend states that the perfect garden has 6 aspects: spaciousness, water, manmade structures, seclusion, broad views, and antiquity. I went there in autumn and the sight of the leaves changing colour was spectacular. Many people go there in winter because the trees in the garden have special structures that hold snow and it`s quite impressive. Kanazawa also has many temples and 2 small geisha districts with old style buildings.
5)Kobe: Kobe is close to Osaka and it`s famous as a port city. Migrants have been coming to Kobe for over 100 years. As a result, there are many European style buildings and ethnic restaurants. I visited an excellent Thai restaurant in Kitano, which is the area with the European style buildings. It`s the perfect city just to go and relax in. The main attractions are Kitano, which are located in the north of the city, and Kobe Port Tower. If you visit City Hall, you can go up to the 25th floor for free and get a view of the city. Kobe is known for its night view, as some lights can be seen in the mountains and the tower lights up as well.
6)Hokkaido: Hokkaido is the northernmost island of Japan. It used to be home to the Ainu, who were the native Japanese people, but very few Ainu live there now. The capital of Hokkaido is Sapporo. Hokkaido is one of the few places in Japan that opened to foreign countries before 1867, so Sapporo has a few European style buildings. In the summer, many people visit the beer garden in Odori Park. In February, Odori park is home to the snow festival. Sapporo also has a beer brewery and beer museum. In the southwest of Hokkaido, Niseko ski resort is famous for its powder snow. Niseko is close to to Yotei Mountain, which has a similar shape to Mt. Fuji. In the summer, many Japanese university students ride motorcyles all over Hokkaido, as Hokkaido is much less humid than the mainland.
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