Japan Travel I

October 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Japan, Japan Travel I 

Japan Travel I

Map of Japan

Map of Japan

Japan: Introduction

Japan, located in East Asia, is an archipelago of over 6,500 islands. Among them, Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku are the large ones. 70% of the country is mountainous and the highest mountain is Mt. Fuji with a height of 3,776m in the west of Tokyo. It is a Japan’s landscape icon.

Mt. Fuji, a landscape icon of Japan

Mt. Fuji, a landscape icon of Japan

The nation has a large population of over 127 million and the longest life expectancy rate in the world. Its economy is the the 3rd. largest in the world after USA and China.

As Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, it has about 108 active volcanoes. So, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur often. The last 9 magnitude earthquake hit Japan on 11 March 2011 triggered a large tsunami that destroyed the whole city of Fukushima. Besides, it destroyed a nuclear plant in the city causing the city inhabitable for many years. It is that nuclear disaster that is affecting the nation’s economy, seriously.

Japan is fortunate to have many good sightseeing spots of splendid natural sceneries, landscapes, historical and cultural sites, and hot spring places. Some of these spots are on the list of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Day 1 Wednesday 7 September 2011

Departure for Japan

On 7th. September 2011, my wife and I joined 33 other Malaysians, tour leader(Tan San) and his assistant(Coey Lim) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport to go to Central Honshu Island in Japan for a short vacation. At 11.45 p.m., we left the airport in a MAS(Malaysia Airline System) airplane and flew straight to Kansai International Airport in Osaka in Japan. After about 6½hours of non-stop flight, we landed safely at the airport on an artificial island that was opened in 1994.

Tour Group in "Yukata", a Japanese traditional costume

Tour Group in “Yukata”, a Japanese traditional costume

Writer and the tour bus-driver(Yoshikawa) on his left

Writer and the tour bus-driver(Yoshikawa) on his left

L to R: Tour Leader(Tan San), Assistant Tour Leader(Coey Lim) and Writer(Choo Chaw)

L to R: Tour Leader(Tan San), Assistant Tour Leader(Coey Lim) and Writer(Choo Chaw)

Day 2 Thursday 8 September 2011

Arriving at the airport at 7.15 in the morning(Japan local time), we went through the immigration and custom check-points, smoothly. Outside the airport, we boarded a tour bus which was driven by Yoshikawa, a friendly, experienced and diligent Japanese. Universal Studios Japan in Osaka was the first place Yoshikawa brought us to.

Universal Studios Japan, Osaka

Opened in 2001, Universal Studios Japan is a place where there are over 20 shows and rides that are inspired by blockbuster movies, animations and comics. As it is a movie-theme park, it attracts lots of visitors of all ages , over 15 millions annually.

When we entered the theme-park in the morning, there were already many people there. As there were long queues for most of the shows and rides, our smart tour leader, Tan San, knew the shows and rides that we did not have to wait for long.

Writer and wife at the Universal Studio Japan in Osaka

Writer and wife at the Universal Studios Japan in Osaka

"The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman" studio in the Background

“The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman” studio in the background

"Main Street" at the Universal Studio Japan

“Main Street” at the Universal Studios Japan

“The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman”

The first place he brought us to was “The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman” studio. In the studio, we sat in a vehicle which brought us to a “U.S.A. city”. In the “city” we watched Spiderman fighting against his villains. As our vehicle was moving alongside the hero, it careened and crashed through the streets, causing us shocked and making us scream. Besides, it scaled skyscrapers and plunged to the pavement in a simulated 400-foot freefall. On one occasion, Spiderman jumped onto our front vehicle and punched us, thinking that we were his villains. It was an amazing 3-D action-packed adventure that made us feel we were right in the middle of the action.

“Backdraft “

After that thrilling show, Tan San led us to another studio where we watched a fire-effect scene, like the one shown in the movie, “Backdraft”, a 1991 action-thriller film.

"Backdraft", a 1991 movie on fire-fighters

“Backdraft”, a 1991 movie on fire-fighters

The highlight of the fire scene was in a mock warehouse in the studio. Standing on an observation platform overlooking the warehouse, we waited for an action to begin. First, we saw a few spots on fire followed by some loud explosions. Suddenly, the whole warehouse was burning with large shooting flames which we could feel their heat. Then the structures of the warehouse were collapsing one by one. When the fire, finally, burnt out, a sudden and final loud explosion with the largest flame was heard, giving us a final heart-pounding shock. The frequent loud explosions, large shooting flames and high heat in the scene made us nervous and terrified most of the time. Well, that was a fantastic fire-effect show I have ever seen.

“Jurassic Park”

T-Rex, a ferocious dinosaur at Jurassic Park

T-Rex, a ferocious dinosaur at Jurassic Park

Passengers get wet when the boat hits the water

Passengers get wet when the boat hits the water

A 85 foot-freefall before the boat hits the water

An 85 foot-freefall before the boat hits the water

Then we went for a boat-ride in the Jurassic Park. It was a very popular attraction. But we had to queue up for 40 minutes before we could get onto a boat. While cruising along a river through a jungle of Jurassic Park, we saw a few kinds of “live” dinosaurs of different sizes in their habitats. Later, we heard loud animal noises. The dinosaurs had broken out from the fortified jungle and we were in danger. When our boat had negotiated a bend, we were shocked to see a fierce T-rex waiting for us right in front. Its head kept lunging forward with its mouth of sharp teeth wide open. Before it could bite our heads off, we, suddenly, plunged down over 85 feet, escaping the creature in the nick of time. But the free fall caused us to scream for life. When the boat hit the water below, most of us who did not wear rain-coats got wet. That was another adrenaline-pumping experience that we will never forget.

“Jaws”

A peaceful village on Amity Island

A peaceful village on Amity Island

"Jaws", a large white shark suddenly appears

“Jaws”, a large white shark suddenly appears

Passengers travelling in shark-infested waters of Amity Island

Passengers travelling in shark-infested waters of Amity Island

The next place we went to was “Amity Island”. A boat carried us through on the shark-infested waters of the island. Soon we encountered a very huge white shark called “Jaws” that was 32 feet long. It was chasing after our boat. When we thought we were safe in a dark boat-house, it made its presence felt by wrecking the things around us. The boat moved out of the house quickly, but the large monster followed us. Suddenly, its head appeared out of the water close to our boat showing its menacing teeth. It gave us a fright. When it reappeared, it had a live thick electric cable in its mouth. The moment it disappeared into the water, we heard a loud explosion. A minute late, we saw the shark floating in the water. It was dead as the cable had electrocuted it. It was a great relief to all of us and we were glad to be back on the island. That was another scary experience, too.

A large crowd outside a theatre waiting for the "Waterworld" show

A large crowd outside a theatre waiting for the “Waterworld” show

Death-defying stunts in "Waterworld" show

Death-defying stunts in “Waterworld” show

Spectators waching the "WaterWorld" show

Spectators waching the “Waterworld” show

“Waterworld”

As soon as we left the “Amity Island”, we went to another place to watch a show of some war actions, like the ones in a 1995 movie known as ”Waterworld”. The show was spectacular as it included death-defying stunts on water, land and overhead. Loud explosions, noisy pyrotechnics, large flame effects and splashes of water from jet-skis that got the front rows of spectators wet made the show exciting, funny, awesome and enjoyable.

"Waterworld" Show

“Waterworld” Show

"Space Fantasy" Ride

“Space Fantasy” Ride

Entrance to "Space Fantasy" Studio

Entrance to “Space Fantasy” Studio

“Space Fantasy”

After that “Waterworld’ action-packed show, we felt we had enough time for one more adventure. Looking around, we felt we should try the “Space Fantasy” adventure. In the adventure, we were supposed to travel in a vehicle, pass some planets and reach the fading sun to restore its energy. When we sat on a vehicle we knew it was going to be a rough roller-coaster ride. In the ride, we were, violently, thrown from side to side, up and down. We had to grasp the lap-bars for dear life when the vehicle spun round four times. After that terrifying ride, we were in a daze and state of shock. I vowed that I would not go for that ride again for my heart’s sake.

"Charlie Brown"

“Charlie Brown”

Shrek and his wife

Shrek and his wife

Elmo in red

Elmo in red

Animated Cartoon Characters

After having a lot of fun, excitement and shock in those experiences at Universal Studios Japan, it was time to leave the theme park for dinner. But before we left the theme-park, we came across some interesting and familiar animated cartoon characters like Charlie Brown, Woody Woodpecker, Elmo, Shrek and his wife. They were very friendly and happily invited visitors to take photos with them.

Shinsaibashi Area

In the evening, we arrived in Shinsaibashi Area which is well-known for shopping, entertainment and food in Osaka. We had our dinner in a restaurant there.
After dinner, we went window-shopping in some streets in the area. The most popular shopping street here is Shinsaibashi-suji which attracts lots of local and foreign visitors. Along this street covered with a canopy, many department stores are selling goods of local and world-class brands. There are also shops selling inexpensive goods ranging from clothes, handbags and shoes to watches, handphones and computers.

Shinsaibashi Area in Osaka

Shinsaibashi Area in Osaka

A restaurant with a large plastic crab

A restaurant with a large plastic crab

Shinsaibashi Street, a popular shopping street covered with canopy

Shinsaibashi Street covered with a canopy

Restaurants

Concerning food in the Shinsaibashi area, a diner is spoilt for choice. There is a popular saying, “Dress(in kimono) till you drop in Kyoto, eat till you drop in Osaka”. There are many restaurants in this area selling all kinds of food, such as Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other Asian foods. Besides, some sell western foods. The popular Japanese foods are traditional oshi zushi(pressed sushi),, udon(a noodle dish), okonomiyaki(pan-fried batter cake) and takoyaki(octopus dumplings) to name a few.

Plastic foods in glass-window

Plastic foods in glass-window

More plastic foods in glass-window

More plastic foods in glass-window

Plastic foods in glass-windows

Plastic foods in glass-window

We noticed that some restaurant-owners in the area hung large plastic models of animals on the front of their shops to attract customers, like crabs, octopuses and cows. Besides, many display plastic foods that look so real in glass-cupboards, glass-windows or outside their restaurants, hoping to lure hungry customers inside.

Ramada Hotel, Osaka

Having spent about two hours touring the interesting but busy Shinsaibashi Area, we left the place and went to a hotel known as Ramada Hotel in Kitaku, Osaka, to have a good night rest.

Day 3 Friday 9 September 2011

Kiyomizu Temple

Steps leading to Kiyomizu Temple

Steps leading to Kiyomizu Temple

Boddhisattva Kannon in Kiyomizu Temple

Boddhisattva Kannon in Kiyomizu Temple

Kiyomizu Temple surrounded by cherry and maple trees

Kiyomizu Temple surrounded by cherry and maple trees

At 8 in the morning, we travelled to Kyoto to visit a famous old wooden temple, Kiyomizu Temple. Located in a quiet tranquil lush-green environment of cherry and maple trees and perched on a slope of Otowa Hill, it was declared a Unesco World Heritage Cultural site in 1994. Founded by a great priest, Enchin, in 778 A.D. it houses Bodhisattva Kannon, a Buddhist God of Mercy with many arms and faces. This god has been worshipped by Japanese people of all classes since the temple was established.

Cherry and Maple Trees

In summer, the cherry trees and maple trees are covered with thick green leaves. But many visitors and worshippers will come in spring to see the beautiful cherry blossoms, and in autumn to see the multi-coloured maple leaves. Japanese school-children from near and far in Japan come in groups to visit the temple to learn about its history, traditions and cultures.

Jishu Shrine

Steps leading to Jishu Temple

Steps leading to Jishu Temple

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Love Stone notice at Jishu Temple

Statue of God of Love and Good Matches, Okuninushino-Mikoto

Statue of God of Love and Good Matches, Okuninushino-Mikoto

Located behind Kiyomizu Temple, a shrine known as Jishu Shrine is dedicated to five gods, including Okuninushu-no-mikoto and his parents, Susanoo-no,mikoto and Kushinadahime. Young Japanerse like to worship Okuninushu-no-mikoto as he is in charge of love and match-making. At the shrine there are two stones which are about 10 feet apart, and they are known as “Love Stones”. According to the message on a notice-board, if a person can walk straight with eyes closed from one stone to the other, his love wishes will be granted by the Love God, Okuninushu-no-mikoto.

Otowa Waterfall

After the ancient temple tour, we went downhill and came across a waterfall, Otowa Waterfall, which is below Kiyomizu Temple. The local people believe that if a person drinks its water, he will be in good health, peace and harmony. Besides, all his undertakings will be successful.

Visitors drinking water from Otowa Waterfall

Visitors drinking water from Otowa Waterfall

Ah Po's famous 'tofu'

Ah Po’s famous ‘tofu’

L to R: Writer, his wife and Ah Po at Ah Po's 'tofu' shop

L to R: Writer, his wife and Ah Po at Ah Po’s ‘tofu’ shop

Ah Po’s Tofu

Then we had a snack at a small tea-house near the waterfall. It belonged to a pretty old lady, Ah Po. She served us some soft, white, cold “tofu” or beancurd which was smooth and nice to eat.

Souvenir Street

On the way down a narrow crowded souvenir street to our bus, we browsed some shops built in Japanese traditional architecture. They were selling souvenirs, food, drinks, ice-creams, traditional clothes, etc. As the weather was quite hot then, I stopped at a shop to have a small bottle of cold soft drink and ice-cream.

Souvenir street that goes to Kiyomizu Temple

Souvenir street that goes to Kiyomizu Temple

Japanese fans for sale

Japanese fans for sale

Japanese slippers for sale

Japanese slippers for sale

Heian Shrine

Soon, we were on our way to another temple in the Okazaki Area in Kyoto City. The temple is known as Heian Shrine. It was established in 1895 to commemorate 1,100 years since Emperor Kanmu(737-806) moved the old Japan’s capital, Nagaoka-kyo, to Heian-kyo(now known as Kyoto). Two emperors, one the founder, Emperor Kanmu, and the other, the last emperor of the Heian Capital, Emperor Komen(1831-1866), were deified at the shrine. (In 1868, the second year of Emperor Meiji’s reign, the capital was moved to Tokyo.)

Entrance to Heian Temple in Kyoto

Entrance to Heian Temple in Kyoto

Photos of parents with their children at Heian Temple

Photos of parents with their children at Heian Temple

Heian Temple in Kyoto

Heian Temple in Kyoto

Shinto Events

Heian Shrine’s consists of three buildings: front, inner and main, collectively known as Daigokuden(Great Hall of State). Visitors are allowed to enter the front building only to worship, but they can enter the inner and not the main buildings on the days of Shinto events like Shichigosan and Omiyamairi.

Schichigosan is a festival for children, especially 3 and 7 year-old girls, and 3 and 5 year-old boys. These young children dressed in Japanese traditional costumes go to the shrine anytime in the month of November to receive the deities’ blessings. Omiyamairi is another festival but for babies who make their first visit to the shrine to receive the blessings, too. Only the priests of the shrine can enter the main building where the souls of the two emperors, Kanmu and Konmei, were enshrined. Some exhibits of photos showing proud parents with their children can be seen at the shrine.

Visitors' wishes written on papers

A tree with folded papers carrying visitors’ wishes

Visitors' wishes written on papers

Wires in the prop with folded papers carrying visitors’ wishes

Visitors' wishes written on small wooden plaques

A red prop with wooden plaques carrying visitors’ wishes.

While walking about in the temple courtyard, I came across small white folded papers tied to low leafless trees and wires in wooden props. They were tied there by visitors who had written their wishes in them. They hoped that their wishes would be granted by the deities. There was another prop with small wooden plaques hanging on it. They too carried writings of visitors’ wishes.

Toyahashi Railway Station

Toyohashi Railway Station

Arrival of a bullet train at Toyahashi Station

Arrival of a bullet train at Toyohashi Station

 

Train-Ticket Slot Machines at Toyahashi Station

Train-ticket slot machines at Toyohashi Station

Bullet Train Ride

After a tour of Heian Shrine, we were off again. This time we travelled for about three hours to Toyohashi Station where we took a bullet train to Hamamatsu. That train was running on a Tokaido Shinkansen line from Osaka in the south to Tokyo in the north, a distance of about 515 km. Its maximum speed is 270 km/h . Japanese trains are well-known for punctuality.

While we were sitting comfortably on the train, we could see houses, farms and villages outside passing by fast. About 15 minutes later, the train arrived at Hamamatsu Station. As the distance between Toyohashi and Hamamatsu was 35 km, the train was travelling at an average speed of 140 km/h.

Okura Hotel, Hamamatsu

From the Hamamatsu Station, we walked a short distance to a hotel, Okura Hotel, in the highest building in the city, Act City Tower. The tall building looks like a harmonica, reminding visitors that the city is sometimes known as the “City of Music”. It houses shops, a food-court, Okura Hotel and an observatory on the 45th floor. We stayed at the hotel for a night.

Okura Hotel in City Act Building, Hamamatsu City

Okura Hotel in Act City Tower, Hamamatsu City

continued on Japan Travel II )

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Japan Travel II

October 17, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Japan, Japan Travel II 

(continued from Japan I)

Japan Travel II

Day 4 Saturday 10 September 2011

After breakfast we left Okura Hotel in Hamamtsu at 8 a.m. Our next destination was the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. While travelling on the busy Tomei Expressway, we saw the scenic country-sides.

The busy Tomei Expressway

The busy Tomei Expressway

Hot Spring Pool

Hot Spring Pool

Owakundani Valley: Mt. Kamiyama(L) and Mt. Kanmurigate(R) in the background

Owakundani Valley: Mt. Kamiyama(L) and Mt. Kanmurigate(R) in the background

Owakudani Valley

Two hours later, we reached a volcanic valley known as Owakudani Valley which is also known as “Valley of Hell”. This valley is in the caldera of Hakone Volcano. This large volcano was formed about 500,000 years ago. Later, a large caldera of 10 km in diameter was formed inside. Its continuous volcanic activity for 500,000 years has produced the present landscape of some small conical volcanoes, including Mt. Kamiyama(1,438m) and Mt. Kanmurigate(1,412m), and a lake(Lake Ashi) in its two calderas, an old and new one.

Writer and wife standing near the hot spring-pool

Writer and wife standing near the hot spring-pool

Mt. Fuji as seen from Owakundani Valley

Mt. Fuji as seen from Owakundani Valley

Eggs boiled in hot spring

Eggs boiled in hot spring

Black Eggs

Hakone Volcano is still an active volcano. It is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. When we were in Owakudani Valley, we saw steam coming out from the cracks in the ground and smelt unpleasant gases of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. There was a pool of hot spring water near Mt. Kamiyama and Mt. Kanmurigate. A shopkeeper of Tamago-chaya Teahouse located near the pool used it for boiling eggs. After boiling the egg-shells turned black. The hard-boiled eggs were sold to tourists like hot cakes.

From the valley we could see the Japan’s iconic cone-shaped mountain, Mt. Fuji, in the distance, but it was partially covered with clouds then.

Hakone Kojiri Terminal

Hakone Kojiri Terminal

Boating area in Lake Ashi

Boating area in Lake Ashi

A cruise-boat at Lake Ashi

A cruise-boat at Lake Ashi

Lake Ashi

Later, we went downhill to a restaurant at the Hakone Kojiri Terminal for a Japanese meal. At this terminal, tourists can take ropeway to Souzan near the Owakundani Valley. The terminal is by a caldera lake in Hakone known as Lake Ashi that is 6 km long and between 0.6 and 1.5 km wide. Tourists can take a leisure boat cruise across the lake, enjoying the picturesque and serene natural beauty of the lake. Besides, they can see the charming Fuji Mountain which is several kilometres away.

Peace Park(Heiwa Koen)

White Buddhist Shrine

After lunch at Hakone Kojiri Terminal, we went to Peace Park(Heiwa Koen) near Gotemba City to see a white Buddhist shrine with four golden Buddha statues on a low hill. It resembles an Indian stupa and is believed to house some Buddha’s relics. The short path leading to the shrine is lined with 7 stone statues of different mythical lions on each side.

White Buddhist Shrine

White Buddhist Shrine

Writer weaing a large pair of wooden clogs

Writer weaing a large pair of wooden clogs

Gotemba City as seen from the White Buddhist Shrine

Gotemba City as seen from the White Buddhist Shrine

The Peace Park has many cherry and maple plants. The cherry plants will bloom in spring whereas maple leaves will change from green to multi-colours in autumn, making the park look like a beautiful paradise in the two seasons attracting more tourists to the place.

Standing in front of the white shrine, I could see the Gotemba City and the partially cloud-covered Mt. Fuji in the distance.

Large Wooden Clogs

Before we left the park, I was attracted to a pair of large Japanese wooden clogs near the park entrance. I wore them, but I could not move them at all as they were stuck to the floor, permanently.

5th. Station of the Subaru Trail of Mt. Fuji

Then we were off again. This time we travelled up the highest mountain of Japan, Mt. Fuji, which is 3776m above sea-level. But our bus could only go up to the 5th. Station of the Fuji-Subaru Trail leading to the Mt. Fuji summit. This station is 2305m above sea-level. There are a few buildings at the station providing accommodation, food and beverages.

5th. Station of Subaru Trail of Mt. Fuji

5th. Station of Subaru Trail of Mt. Fuji

Passing clouds at the 5th. Station of the Subaru Trail

Passing clouds at the 5th. Station of the Subaru Trail

Bare summit of Mt. Fuji behind writer and wife

Bare summit of Mt. Fuji behind writer and wife

Mt. Fuji

Many tourists and mountain-climbers could be seen there. The climbers at this station may need over 6 hours to climb to the summit. Standing on the station ground, I could see the barren peak of Mt. Fuji, clearly. Occasionally, a passing cloud would block the view of the mountain. Mt. Fuji is cone-shaped with a base diameter between 35 and 40 km. Dormant for 250 years, its grace, charm and beauty draw millions of visitors from all over the world.

Fujimihana Hotel

Having spent a couple of hours at the 5th. Station enjoying the sights of the beautiful mountainous landscapes, we went down the mountain to a hotel, Fujimihana Hotel, that is by a lake, Yamanaka Lake, in Yamanashiken. After having checked in at the hotel, we changed into “yukata” and went straight to a pool of hot spring water of 41 degrees Celsius to relieve our body muscles of fatigue and pain. (A “yukata” is a Japanese casual summer clothing.) An hour later, we went to the hotel restaurant to savour both Japanese and Taiwanes dishes. We stayed for a night at this hotel in a tranquil place.

Picture of Lake Yamanaka, Fujimihana Hotel and Mt. Fuji found in the hotel

Picture of Lake Yamanaka, Fujimihana Hotel and Mt. Fuji found in the hotel

Mt. Fuji in the morning as seen from Fujimihana Hotel

Mt. Fuji in the morning as seen from Fujimihana Hotel

Writer and wife in "yukata"

Writer and wife in “yukata”

Day 5     Sunday      11  September 2011

In the morning, when I woke up and drew a curtain open in my hotel room, I was pleasantly surprised to see the majestic-looking Mt. Fuji several km away. As the view was spectacular, I quickly snapped a few photos of it before being covered with clouds.

Sensoji Temple or Asakusa Temple

After breakfast, we left the hotel for Tokyo City. It was a pleasant 1½ hour-journey from the quiet rural areas to the hustle and bustle of the urban areas of Tokyo. On arrival at Tokyo City, we went straight to the oldest Buddhist temple known as Sensoji Temple or commonly called Asakusa Kannon Temple. Located in the Asakusa area, it houses a statue of Bodhisattva Kannon or Buddhist Goddess of Mercy. The Japanese Buddhists believe that He is a great saviour to the sufferers in the world.

Sensoji Temple or Asakusa Temple

Sensoji Temple or Asakusa Temple

Kaminarimon(Thunder Gate)

Kaminarimon(Thunder Gate)

Statue of Bodhisattva Kannon found in net

Statue of Bodhisattva Kannon found in net

Discovery of a Buddha Statue

Legend has it that the statue was found by two fishermen who were brothers in their cast net in Sumida River in 628. The head village, Hajino Nakatomo, recognized it as a Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, and kept it in his house for his villagers to worship. Then in 648 his house was rebuilt and made into a temple, housing the statue. Later, fire destroyed the temple several times, and it had to be rebuilt each time it was destroyed. In 1945, it was bombed and destroyed during air-raids in WWII. Later, it was built again.

Kaminarimon(Thunder Gate)

The present temple was built in 1958 with donations from generous devotees. Known as Sensoji Temple or Asakusa Temple, it attracts visitors from near and far. The entrance to the temple is a large gate, Kaminarimon(Thunder Gate). In the middle of this gate hung a large red paper lantern with two large Japanese characters which mean “Thunder Gate”. Standing on the left of the lantern is a large statue of God of Thunder” and another statue of “God of Wind” on the right. The gate leads visitors to a 250m-long street, Nakamize Street.

Nakamize Street

Nakamize Street

Clothes for sale

Clothes for sale

Bags for sale

Bags for sale

Nakamize Street

Nakamize Street is lined with many interesting kinds of shops on both sides. The shops sell souvenirs, traditional clothes, shoes, hats, umbrellas, food, drinks, and many more. It was established in the 17th. century. But the present two rows of single-storey shops were rebuilt after the Great Kanto Earthquake in1923. It was crowded with visitors when I was there.

Hozomon Gate

Nakamize Street ends with another red gate which is larger and higher than the first one. It is known as Hozomon Gate. Built in 1964, it has a large red lantern hanging in the middle. Besides, there is a smaller black and gold-coloured lantern and statue of Deva King on each side of the large lantern.  The two large Deva Kings are supposed to be the guardians of Sensoji Temple. The upper part of the gate houses a complete collection of the Buddhist scriptures. A short distance from this gate is the main temple, Sensoji Temple or Asukasa Kannon.

Hozomon Gate

Hozomon Gate

"Sky Tree", a tall tower in the background

“Sky Tree”, a tall tower in the background

A rickshaw-puller

A rickshaw-puller

Sky Tree

While standing in front of Kaminarimon Gate, I watched a continuous flow of people into the gate and rickshaw-pullers busy doing their jobs in the street. Besides, I saw a tall tower which was 1 km away in Sumida Area. It is known as Sky Tree. It is the tallest tower in the world with a height of 634m, and the second tallest structure in the world after Burj Kalifa(828m) in Dubai. It has a TV and radio broadcasting station, restaurant and observatory tower. It will be ready for use next year, 2012.

Ginza Street

Later, we left the Asakusa Area and went to Tokyo’s famous shopping street, Ginza Street. It attracts not only local people, but also foreign tourists. It is a long wide street flanked by distinctive department stores and shops on both sides of the road, selling luxury goods of local and western popular brands.

Ginza Street, Tokyo

Ginza Street, Tokyo

Ginza Wako Building

Ginza Wako Building

Busy crossroads at Ginza 4-chome

Busy crossroads at Ginza 4-chome

Ginza Wako Building

As it was a weekend, Sunday, the road was closed to traffic, expecting large influxes of visitors in the afternoon and evening. The long road became a pedestrain walkway with chairs and tables fixed with large umbrellas in the middle for tired visitors to rest. While walking down the road, I noticed there were no old buildings to be seen there. But when I came to Ginza 4-Chome,I saw a large one at the junction of Chuo and Harumi Dori. Known as Ginza Wako Building, it was established in 1881 and has a Seiko clock tower built in 1932. It looks like an old European building that stands out in the street. It sells world-class goods, like watches, jewellery, handbags, porcelain, dishware, etc

Harajuka Area

After spending one and a half hours browsing some of the stores and shops along Ginza Street, we left for another shopping area, Harajuka Area. In this area there are two main shopping streets, viz. Omotesando and Takeshita Street. But we visited Takeshita Street as it is an interesting one where young girls like to meet and show off their fanciful clothes, hairstyles and footwears, e.g. cyber-punk, cosplay, ganguro and other out-of-the world styles. Besides, there are shops in this narrow and crowded street that draws young girls to buy clothes of the latest fashions.

The crowded Takeshita Street

The crowded Takeshita Street

Shinjuku Street

Shinjuku Street

Cosplay costumes for sale

Cosplay costumes for sale

Shinjuku Area

After spending some time in Takeshita Street, we left for another well-known area called Shinjuku. It is Tokyo’s commercial and metropolitan government administrative hub. The main attractions that draw visitors to this area are entertainment and shopping.

The most popular shopping street in this place is Shinjuku Street which is lined with multi-storey buildings and skyscrapers. When the street is closed to traffic during weekends, it becomes a busy pedestrian walkway.

Anti-Nuclear Plant Protestors

Anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shinjuku Plant

Anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shinjuku Plant

More anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shijuku Area

More anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shinjuku Area

Anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shinjuku Area

Anti-nuclear plant protestors in Shinjuku Area

When we were in the Shinjuku Area we were surprised to see some peaceful processions of anti-nuclear plant protestors. The protestors from all ages and walks of life were strongly against the government’s

establishment of nuclear powered-plants in Japan. They felt those plants were unsafe, after a nuclear plant in Fukushima was badly destroyed by a 9-magnitude earthquake and giant tsunami on March 11 2011 polluting the environment with health-hazard radioactive substances. Lots of police were around, watching them closely.

In the evening, before we left Shinjuku area, we had a last look of the main shopping and entertainment street. Then we left for a hotel, Sunshine City Prince Hotel, in Minato-ku, Tokyo, where we retired for a night.

Sunshine Coty Prince Hotel, Minato-Ku, Tokyo

Sunshine City Prince Hotel, Minato-Ku, Tokyo

Day 6    Monday     12 September 2011

Disneyland Tokyo

After breakfast we went to Disneyland Tokyo in Urayasu in Chiba near Tokyo. Opened in 1983, it is Japan’s most popular tourist attraction, drawing over 15 millions of domestic and foreign visitors, annually.

Walt Disney and his brother, Roy, co-founded the Walt Disney Company in 1923. Together they created new forms of entertainment, including animated films and Disney theme parks around the world, e.g. Disneyland Parks in Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Entrance to Disneyland Tokyo

Entrance to Disneyland Tokyo

Statue of Roy Disney with Minnie Mouse

Statue of Roy Disney with Minnie Mouse

Statue of Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse

Statue of Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse

Disneyland Tokyo is a place for fun, entertainment, adventure and relaxation for young and old. The visitors are spoilt for choices of thrill and non-thrill rides in 7 themed areas in the park. A visitor will find it impossible to finish all the attractions there in one day, besides long queues for most of them.

“Pirates of the Caribbean”

When we entered the park, our tour-leader, Tan San, told us to follow him, closely, to the attractions which he knew had short queues. “Pirates of the Caribbean” was the first one he recommended. We queued for a shortwhile for a boat-ride. The boat took us to dark places where we watched pirates attacking and robbing ships at seas, plundering villagers, living in lawless villagers, etc. At one spot we saw Captain Jack Sparrow, the hero in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” film series, sitting in a large comfortable chair surrounded by his ill-gotten treasure. That attraction tells us about the violent, lawless and miserable lives of pirates.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Captain Jack Sparrow

“Star Wars”

As soon as we finished the “Pirates of the Caribbean” attraction, we went for the next one, “Star Wars”. We were lucky because there were not many people in the queue. As we were walking towards a spacecraft, StarSpeeder 3000, we came across some Star Wars characters, like C-3PO and R2-D2. As they were audio-animatronics, they could talk and move, entertaining the guests in the queue.

StarSpeeder 3000 spacecraft

StarSpeeder 3000 spacecraft

"R2-D2"

“R2-D2”

"C-3PO"

“C-3PO”

“Star Tours” is a futuristic adventure in the universe, utilizing a hydraulic motion base cabin. It is inspired by the “Star Wars” series created by George Lucas. As space tourists in the spacecraft, StarSpeeder 3000, we travelled in the universe at highspeed, avoiding meteors, asteroids, collisions with other spacecrafts and attacks from enemies. It was an exciting journey in space and we got back to the base, safely. It lasted for 4½ minutes which seemed like hours to us.

Halloween Parade

Later, we went to watch a colourful parade, Halloween Parade. There was a large crowd waiting anxiously for the parade to begin. At 11 a.m. sharp, a big gate was opened and a parade of 7 colourful floats with Disney characters streamed in. Chip and Dale were in the 1st. float, followed by Hello Kitty in the 2nd., Stitch in the 3rd., Mickey Mouse in the 4th., Daisy Duck in the 5th., Goofy in the 6th. and Donald Duck with his three nephews in the last one. Each float was followed by a few dancers dressed in Halloween clothes. It was a 10 minute parade, short but entertaining.

Halloween Parade

Halloween Parade

"It's a Small World" entrance

“It’s a Small World” entrance

"Chip n Dale' in the first float

“Chip n Dale’ in the first float

“It’s a Small World”

When the parade was over, we went for a slow relaxing boat ride in a building known as “It’s a Small World”. As we were cruising round the “world” inside, we watched dancers in their national clothes dancing to the cheerful and lively song of “It’s a Small World”.

Mark Twain Riverboat Ride

Arrival of Mart Twain Riverboat from the "Wild West"

Arrival of Mart Twain Riverboat from the “Old West”

A Red Indian settlement in "Wild West"

A Red Indian settlement in the “Old West”

Deer in the "Wild west"

Deer in the “Old West”

Coming out of that building, we went for another boat-ride, but this time in a larger boat known as “Mark Twain Riverboat”. It sailed in a man-made waterway or “river” in the “Old West” jungle. As the boat was cruising in the “river”, we saw deer, Red Indian settlement, fort, waterfall, etc. The ride made us feel as though we were in the old days, as the “Old West” landscapes looked real, animals could feed on grass and the Red Indians could move and talk. It was a refreshing and nostalgic ride, indeed.

Buzz Ligthtyear’s Astro Blasters

Then we went for an interactive adventure in a building known as “Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters” which was inspired by a Disneyland movie, “Toy Story”. While we were walking inside towards the spacecrafts, we watched Buzz Lightyear, a space ranger, telling us to use a lazer-gun to shoot at the Z-symbol to get a score for each hit.

Long queue in hot sun outside "Astro Blasters"

Long queue in hot sun outside “Astro Blasters”

He says, "Shoot at the Z-symbol to get a score."

He says, “Shoot at the Z-symbol to get a score.”

Buzz Ligthyear teaching guests the way to get score

Buzz Ligthyear teaching guests the way to get score

Sitting in a slow moving spacecraft, we went through various scenes featuring Emperor’s henchmen and fired our lazer-guns at their Z-symbols. At the end of the ride, I looked at my score-board and was disappointed to see my poor score.

Odaiba

After a few rides in the park, some of us left the place and went for a small man-made island in Tokyo Bay. Originally, there was a cluster of many tiny islands built to protect Tokyo from sea-attacks during the Edo Period(1603-1868). Later, the islands were joined together by more landfills to form a larger one. Now, known as Odaiba, it is a popular shopping, entertainment and residential place, which is another tourist spot in Tokyo.

"Giant Sky Wheel" in Palette Town

“Giant Sky Wheel” in Palette Town

Entrance to Tokyo Leisure Land

Entrance to Tokyo Leisure Land

Toyota City Showcase in Toyota Mega Web

Toyota City Showcase in Toyota Mega Web

Located in the middle of Odaiba is a place called Pallette Town. It is a building complex that offers many attractions, such as a large shopping centre(Venus Fort), Toyota car theme-park(Toyota Mega Web), ferris-wheel of 100m in diameter(Giant Sky Wheel ) and amusement park(Tokyo Leisure Land).

When we went to Pallette Town we were surprised that it was closed for a public holiday. Nevertheless, we entered some areas to have a quick look inside. Then we visited some other spots near Pallette Town, including Fuji TV building, Aqua City Shopping Centre, Miraikan(National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation), Museum of Maritime Science, Decks Beach Shopping Mall. Unfortunately, we could not enter any of these places as they were closed for a public holiday.

Fuji TV Building behind Aqua City Shopping Centre

Fuji TV Building behind Aqua City Shopping Centre

A smaller replica of Statue of Liberty behind writer and wife

A smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty behind writer and wife

Rainbow Bridge in the distance

Rainbow Bridge in the distance

“Rainbow Bridge”

We went to the north of the island to see a long high bridge connecting the island to the mainland. It is known as “Rainbow Bridge” and has many uses: an expressway, regular road, railway lines and pedestrian walkways. At a park, there was a small replica of the French Statue of Liberty on the northern coast of the island, erected in 2000.

Later, we left the island and went back to Disneyland to pick up the rest of our tour-members who did not follow us to Odaiba Island. Soon, we left Disneyland Tokyo and headed for Narita. On the way, we stopped at a restaurant where we had a buffet dinner. The restaurant offered over 100 kinds of food and drinks that we were spoilt for choice. It was my best meal at that restaurant in Japan.

Narita Marroad International Hotel

A tour-member thanks the bus driver, Yoshikawa

A tour-member thanks the bus driver, Yoshikawa

An airplane is landing at Narita Airport

An airplane is landing at Narita Airport

Narital Marroad International Hotel

Narital Marroad International Hotel

Later, we checked in at a hotel near the Narita International Airport called Narita Marroad International Hotel. As it has 800 rooms, it is the largest hotel in Narita. Located near the airport, guests in its restaurant can watch through large glass-windows airplanes land or depart from it. Before we entered the hotel, we thanked and bade farewell to Yoshikawa, our Japanese driver who had diligently brought us to the popular tourist spots in Osaka, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji areas and Tokyo for six long days

Day 7       Tuesday   13 September 2011

Today, we had to leave Japan at 10.30 in the morning by plane. At 7 in the morning, we left the hotel in its bus for Narita International Airport which was nearby. On arrival at the airport, we checked in and later at 10.30 a.m.(Japan time), we left the beautiful country, “Land of the Rising Sun”, for Malaysia, our homeland.

Tour Leader, Tan San, giving his last instruction at Narita Airport

Tour Leader, Tan San, giving his last instruction at Narita Airport

Writer has the last glimpse of the land of Japan

Writer has the last glimpse of the land of Japan

Writer and wife at Narita Airport waiting to go back to Malaysia

Writer and wife at Narita Airport waiting to go back to Malaysia

Well, that is a 5 day and 4 night tour in Japan. Although it was a short tour, we have learned a lot about Japan: her traditions, cultures, people, landscapes, economy and many more. Our vacation there is enjoyable and unforgettable. Besides, we have made new friends in our tour group. I hope you have found this write-up of mine interesting and informative.

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank our tour-leader, Tan San, for his invaluable knowledge of Japan, and jokes that kept us laughing and awake during the bus-journeys. We would also like to thank his pretty young assistant, Coey Lim, for taking good care of our food and accommodation during the tour. Last but not least, we wish to thank the two travel agencies, Sinair Travel in Johor Bahru and Apple Vacations in Kuala Lumpur, for arranging that tour which was interesting and memorable.

The End

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Written by:

Choo Chaw, Kluang, Johor, Malaysia