Tourism in Japan: cities, localities and highlights

Sightseeing in Japan is increasingly demanded by the great interest aroused by Japanese culture and everything that comes to us from Japan, such as gastronomy, cinema, manga, literature, technology, cities, etc.

In this post we will see in a summarized way, which are the most outstanding tourist cities in Japan as well as important places, attractions and centers of interest that you should take into account when sightseeing in Japan.

Culture 

Japan has absorbed many ideas from other countries over the course of its history, including technology, customs and some forms of cultural expression, and has developed a unique culture while incorporating these manifestations imported from abroad. The current Japanese lifestyle is a rich mix of traditional culture of Asian influences and the modern traditional culture of the West. The religions of Japanese culture have been influenced in the country, in addition to the original Shintoism, fifth-century Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, which have been in syncretic relationship. Confucianism has particularly affected social relations and their hierarchy, which have developed several concepts to describe the social structures of traditional Japanese society. 

• Music

A variety of musical traditions and musical instruments came to Japan from the Asian continent at an early age, no later than the 400s. However, information about pre-700 music is based almost entirely on archaeology. Japan's opening to the West also meant a revolution in the country's music scene. Western classical music has become a central part of music education and Japan has a number of expert and internationally renowned musicians, composers and art directors. Western opera also gained popularity

• Dance

In Japan, many different forms of traditional dance are practiced along with modern dance. In traditional Japanese dance, movements are relatively limited, even due to disguise: the feet are not lifted from the ground, the body is kept straight, and the gestures are made by hand. The face is not usually expressed. The use of masks in dance has also influenced these characteristics.  The first Japanese dances were ritual dances whose main objective was purification.

• Theatre

Traditional Japanese theater is not meant to be read, but to be performed and seen. There are four forms of classical theatre in Japan. The eldest of are: nō and kōgen, were born in the fourteenth century, although various forms of entertainment were performed centuries earlier. In the 1960s, the Angura Theater, now known as shōgeki, was born. After World War II, the dramatic growth of drama led to a revolution in modern Orthodox theater: young writers broke the practices of previous psychological and realistic drama and created a new aesthetic and sophisticated storylines that mixed fantasy with reality.

Nature and climate

Most of Japan is located in the northern temperate zone of the earth and has a humid climate typical of the monsoon, so during the summer the winds blow from the southeast of the Pacific Ocean and those from the northwest of the Eurasian continent during the winter.

The country has four well-defined seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Two of Japan's most beautiful natural sights are the cherry blossoms in spring and the vibrant yellow, red and orange hues of the leaves in autumn. 

The country often suffers from natural disasters such as typhoons, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. Although these catastrophes can claim many human lives, as happened during the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in January 1995 and the great East Japan earthquake of March 2011, the Japanese have been working hard for a long time to minimize their effects: they use the most advanced technologies to design earthquake-resistant structures and track the path of storms more accurately.

What YES and WHAT NOT to do in Japan according to its rules of etiquette

Whether you are going to visit this country or simply for general knowledge, it is important to take into account the basic rules to understand the lifestyle of the Japanese and integrate into the local culture.

• Greeting

One of the basics in Japan is the greeting, which is done with a bow, slightly bowing your head in an informal greeting, or with a large bow in a formal greeting. However, kisses and hugs are uncommon in the country, so they should be avoided, especially in times of pandemic. 

• Public transport

Another of the basic rules in Japan is silence on public transport, since this is considered as an act of courtesy for users of this. However, it is important to clarify that if you can speak, as long as it is done in a low tone.

Other aspects that should be avoided are taking phone calls, hindering the passage of users with backpacks or large suitcases, and crossing their legs when sitting.

• Alcohol

In Japan, the legal drinking age is 20, so minors cannot buy alcohol. In addition, it is common for some shops and bars to ask for an official ID to confirm their age. Also, it is important to mention that drinking and driving is illegal, but passengers who are not the driver are free to drink in the car.

• Take off your shoes

One of the most important rules in Japan is to take off your shoes to enter private homes, inns, restaurants, temples, castles and historic buildings and even some shops. Generally, there is an area called "genkan", in which shoes should be left with the tip towards the door and not towards the interior of the building.

• Garbage

Since it is difficult to find garbage bins on the streets of Japan, as its inhabitants have a strong recycling culture. In case of having garbage, it is better to keep it and not throw it on the street, to deposit it in boats inside hotels or shops. Also, PET containers and cans can be recycled in special machines that are located on public roads.

Gastronomy

Japanese gastronomy has a long culinary past that has developed into a sophisticated, refined and specialized gastronomy for each season.  It is similar to Chinese cuisine with respect to staple foods or shushoku, which are based on five carbohydrate-rich foods: rice, wheat and oats (plants of the genus Setaria), and beans and millet (plants of the genus Echinocloa). The dishes, known as okazu, have the function of flavoring the main meal, and are usually salty.

A standard Japanese meal always consists of a cup of Japanese rice (gohan) as shushoku, and accompanying tsukemono (pickle), which is a cup of soup and a variety of okazu dishes such as fish, meat, vegetables, etc. It is also customary to name meals depending on the amount of okazu that accompanies rice and soup.

Dress

In Japan you can find two types of clothing: traditional and modern. In the traditional wardrobe, the kimono stands out, which is a long eye-catching garment worn by women, men and children on special occasions, which consists of a background, a lining and the striking upper part. Also the sleeves of the kimono differentiate married women from single women. The kimono is almost no longer used because of its difficulty of use, even in ancient times there were people who were dedicated to dressing people in kimonos. Other garments worn by the Japanese are: the yuka, which is a light summer kimono; the hakama, a ceremonial garment; the jinbei, a light male garment worn as pajamas.

With regard to modern Japanese clothing, there are some trends such as ganguro, which is a women's fashion characterized by wearing designer clothes, having tanned skin and adopting the excessive use of accessories. Another modern fashion in Japan is lolita fashion, which is inspired by Victorian children's fashion with elements of Rococo and has had derivations from the Gothic, punk, meido, etc. subcultures.  Another form of modern fashion that began in Japan is cosplay, which consists of disguising oneself as a character that appears in some Japanese media: anime, manga, video games and music videos, among others. However, the way the Japanese dress is usually very correct. women usually wear all heeled shoes, and most of them wear skirts or dresses, or wide pants. Their garments do not usually reveal much skin.

Temples

Religion and tradition in a country as advanced as Japan are still very important aspects of society. That makes the temples, mostly Shinto and Buddhist, part of the daily life of their people. Possibly in Kyoto as a historical capital, it is where some of the best temples in the country are concentrated, but it is not the only place: Tokyo, Nikko, Nara or Miyajima have equally impressive shrines.

These, in our opinion, are the best temples in Japan:

• Kinkakuji (Kyoto), the golden temple, a 3-storey pavilion entirely covered with gold paper. The contrast with the nature that surrounds it is brutal.
• Todai-ji (Nara), has a peculiarity in the form of a record: it is the largest wooden structure in the world (and that after suffering some fires, it is smaller than the original). Not to be missed is its statue of the Giant Buddha.
• Senso-ji (Tokyo), is our favorite temple in Tokyo, located in the heart of the old neighborhood of Asakusa. During the day it is full of life thanks to the craft market that is in front of its entrance, but at night absolute calm reigns, it is best to visit it at both times. Don't miss the 5-story pagoda, one of the tallest in Japan.
• Kyomizu-dera (Kyoto), its wooden structure is majestic, and the views of Kyoto from its position no less impressive. You will see three sources that say they bring different benefits to the drinker of their water: health, professional success and love.

Japan Tour