Japan Favorite Experiences

A Few of our Japan Favorite Experiences …

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Hot Springs town of Kinosaki Onsen in Japan

GETAWAY WEEKEND JAPANESE STYLE …

An overnight or – even better – a getaway weekend at Nishimurya Honkan, a ryokan in the very historic hot springs town of Kinosaki Onsen. We wandered around the charming town as a light mist of rain was falling, creating a beautiful impressionistic experience. We turned our minds off and totally gave into the relaxation of the soothing mineral springs as we enjoyed a bit of mineral spring hopping and sampled several of the town’s many Hot Springs.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ View of the garden at Nishimuraya Honkan ryokan

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ View of the garden at the truly charming Nishimuraya Honkan ryokan

Returning to our ryokan relaxed and rejuvenated, we experienced our first traditional Japanese Kaiseki dinner served to us in our room, course by elegant course (see our preceding article Japan Culinary Experiences ). We watched our stress melt away as we saw the beauty of the Kaiseki dishes, listened to the explanation from our charming server of what was being served to us, smelled the aromas, and finally experienced the flavors and textures of the dish being served. Then, in an effort to achieve the apex of total relaxation, we had 90 minutes of couples massage on our very comfy futons and fell into heavenly sleep.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Enjoying a seasonal kaiseki gourmet dinner at Nishimuraya Honkan ryokan

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Enjoying a seasonal Kaiseki 10-course Tasting Menu at Nishimuraya Honkan ryokan

LEARNING TO APPRECIATE SAKE

Learning to appreciate Sake at the Gekkeikan Sake Museum in Fushimi outside of Kyoto, and eventually with our Japanese meals.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ the Gekkeikan Sake Museum in Fushimi Japan

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Japan Favorite Experiences ~ A fine bottle of sake to accompany our Kaiseki dinner at Nishimuraya Honkan ryokan

KARAOKE …

Letting loose and enjoying Karaoke in a private salon at Pasela Resorts in the Dotombori District of Osaka … no problems if you don’t speak Japanese as you can choose from a wide selection of many other languages. We moved from English to French to Spanish with great selections in each language. Plus, we enjoyed some drinks and snacks to go with them. But most of all … Karaoke in a private room — with the lyrics of your song flashed in front of you on a large screen so you can follow and sing along with the gutsy member of your party who is “performing” the song she selected for the group — is a a most enjoyable and bonding experience … and the Japanese know how to do it right!

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Karaoke at Pasela Resorts in Osaka

COCKTAIL HOUR AT THE IMPERIAL HOTEL IN TOKYO …

At the cocktail hour, our most memorable experience was enjoying our cocktails in the 17th-floor Imperial Lounge of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo while admiring the sun set over the Imperial Palace gardens and watching Tokyo come alive at night … one of the best views in Tokyo!

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Evening view of the Imperial Palace grounds from the Imperial Lounge at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo

TOURING THE WELL-PRESERVED SAMURAI AND GEISHA DISTRICTS OF KANAZAWA ...

and imagining ourselves back in the time of the Samurai and Shogun eras in the 16th century.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Strolling the well preserved Samurai and Geisha districts in Kanazawa

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ A rickshaw ride thru old Kanazawa

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Or, taking a Rickshaw Ride thru the Samurai and Geisha districts in old Kanazawa

WALKING AROUND THE HISTORIC GEISHA DISTRICT OF KYOTO …

with its charming old historic streets, fascinating little shops and interesting people watching. Geisha may be far and few between these days but the charm and allure of their district remains. Plus, I have to admit that as we strolled the charming historic city of Kyoto, I also half expected to see a group of Geishas from that fascinating era in Japan’s history turn the corner. One can only imagine …

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Gion district in Kyoto Japan

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Lynn and Janet in Hanamikoji Dori, the main street of the Gion district in Kyoto

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Lynn and Janet on Hanamikoji Dori, the main street of the Gion district in Kyoto

DISCOVERING THE JAPANESE ARTIST LEONARD TSUGUHARU FOUJITA …

at an exhibition dedicated to him at the Japanese National Museum of Modern Art in Kyoto. An extraordinarily talented artist who left his native Japan in the early 20th century for Paris to develop his personal style and learn from the grand masters of the time, including Monet, Picasso and Modigliani, Foujita ranks as Japan’s most important artist working in the west during the 20th century.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ “Un Bistrot a Saint-Germain-des-Pres” by Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita

HIMEJI CASTLE …

a short train ride west of Kobe (think “Kobe beef”) which is itself a short ride west of Osaka, is the awesome Himeji Castle. Dating to 1333, the castle with its 83 rooms of advanced defensive systems dating from the feudal period is considered as the best surviving example of “prototypical Japanese castle architecture” and is the most visited castle in Japan. The tour is fascinating as it integrates Japanese history into the story-telling of the Castle.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ the 14th century Himeji Castlein Himeji Japan is the most visited castle in Japan

HIMEJI KOKO-EN-GARDENS …

While the Koko-en Gardens were charming and the site offers a tea ceremony and an array of different era gardens, what is first and foremost in my mind when I think of these gardens on a property adjacent to the Himeji Castle is the striking beauty of the Castle in the background with the fabulous Fall foliage in full array. Like a male peacock struts its feather, Mother Nature was in full Fall splendor all around these beautiful gardens, and Mother Nature’s background of Fall foliage was truly a more glorious and bold statement than the man-made gardens. By the way — we were told that the two best times to go to Japan were Spring for the cherry blossoms and Fall for the foliage. This was our favorite “foliage” viewing.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ At Koko-en Gardens in Himeji Japan amidst Mother Nature’s stunning Fall display of color and the Koi swimming in the ultra-clear water

USING THE TOTO TOILETS …

which welcome you with a warm toilet seat, flush automatically and offer the platinum class of comfort and hygiene. Never before have I written about toilets, but Toto toilets offer a most unique and comprehensive experience, and while they are found in other countries, they are the toilet of preference in Japan.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Wall Control for a Toto toilet offers interesting options

IWATAYAMA MONKEY PARK …

a commercial park located on Mt. Arashiyama in Arashiyama just outside Kyoto inhabited by a troop of over 170 Japanese macaque monkeys, the Iawatayama Monkey Park offers an authentic “wild monkey” experience . Although the animals are wild, they are habituated to humans walking in their midst and can be fed food purchased at the site. Of course, these are trained professionals at the site overseeing safety at all times. The walk from the base of the mountain up to the top of Mt. Arashiyama where the monkeys hang out is approximately 20 minutes. A must for all animal lovers who will enjoy close observation of these fun-loving primates.

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ Up close but not quite personal with the “wild monkeys” of Iwatayama Monkey Park in Arashiyama near Kyoto in Japan

JIDAI MATSURI (“festival”) …

This traditional parade, beloved by citizens of Kyoto since it originated in 1895, celebrates the newly constructed Heian Shrine to hold the spirit of Emperor Kanmu, the founder of Kyoto in 794. It also honors Kyoto’s culture and history as the capital of Japan from 794 to 1868 as well as Kyoto’s ongoing cultural importance to Japan. It came about as an indirect result of the 1868 Meiji Restoration which saw Tokyo become the new capital of the country. The Jidai Matsuri parade includes more than 2,000 residents, all of whom are decked out in impressively designed costumes that represent each successive era of Kyoto’s 1,100-year stint as the capital of Japan. Not to be missed if you are in Kyoto the 22nd of October, the day of the festival each year!

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Jidai Matsuri parade every year on October 22nd in Kyoto Japan

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Jidai Matsuri parade occurs every year on October 22nd in Kyoto Japan to celebrate the city’s ongoing cultural importance to Japan

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS …

Two of the hotels we stayed in were truly outstanding, The Ritz Carlton in Osaka and the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo. We also would very highly recommend the ryokan Nishimurya Honkan in Kinosaki Onsen (see Getaway Weekend section above).

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Ritz Carlton Osaka Jaspan

Japan Favorite Experiences ~ The Ritz Carlton Osaka Japan

ANOTHER REASON TO GO TO JAPAN …

If you are interested in exploring this unique country and want to create your own Japanese experience, you might want to head over to Tokyo in July of 2020 for the Tokyo summer Olympics. I imagine the Japanese will offer up a most impressive, extremely well-organized, and utterly enjoyable experience. Not only are they totally capable of providing you with a superb experience, but anything less than that would be singularly unacceptable.

As always, our focus at BonVoyageurs is on the joie de vivre we experience when we travel, and all opinions expressed in our articles are our own.

Stay tuned to BonVoyageurs.com for our writings about other Countries of the World as we share our joie de vivre from around the world. Luxury escapes, cruises and city breaks to Québec City, New York, Washington, Buenos Aires. In Europe and the Mediterranean, places like Paris and Nice in France, Florence, Rome, Napoli and the Amalfi Coast in Italy, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in Israel. In Asia, countries like China, India, Nepal and so much more!

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