Why travel to Japan? Top 10 reasons to go

Posted on | September 12, 2009 | No Comments

I am from Australia and recently travelled to Japan for a holiday. In terms of traditions, we borrow from elsewhere, in terms of historical architecture there is nothing older than 220 years. Travelling to Japan was a chance to visit a country that is most steeped in tradition and culture of their own country – deeply proud and very generous people. It is a challenge and a massive reward holidaying here. So much so that I am now planning on returning to live.

Here are the top ten reasons why you should travel to Japan.

1. City, night lights and shopping.

Shopping, restaurant, bar, cafe and hotel hub Shibuya in Tokyo, near Shibuya 109.

2. Festivals.

Sakura (cherry blossom) during the spring festival in Osaka.

3. Robots, gadgets and all things tech.

Sony AIBO robotic dog at Roboworld in Fukuoka.

Western style Japanese toilet (bidet) with myriad of controls. Known in Japan as the Washlet (ウォシュレット Woshuretto).

4. Castles, temples and shrines.

Okayama-jō, black and gold Crow Castle or U-jo.

5. Efficient transport and the shinkansen (bullet train).

JR Central's Hikari Shinkansen.

At the opposite end of the speed scale, bicycles have right of way on the roads in Japan.

6. Japanese food and drink (especially Yebisu beer).

Yebisu beer (brewed by Sapporo Brewery) and takoyaki (octopus in battered balls) - it is legal to drink alcohol on the street!

7. Manga and anime.

Just a small part of a multi-level book store.

8. Astro boy.

Statue of manga series character, Astro Boy (named Atom in Japanese) outside Kyoto train station.

9. Architecture.

Modern construction and nature combine in an amazing 'green' building, ACROS Fukuoka.

10. Origami, ancient traditions and art.

A tiny origami paper crane sitting on the bar of a nightclub in Fukuoka.

This post marks the beginning of a series of posts, about my trip to Japan. I went to Japan for a holiday for about 1 month. Almost daily I would go to an internet cafe to find something to do – being in a non-English speaking country meant things to do were hard to find on the internet. My site ‘Japan travel guide in English’ aims to provide information on what to do and how to do it when you are in Japan.

But first, what to do before you get there…

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