The Kyoto Winter
The Kyoto Winter is the heritage sites, and there will be unique winter events and chances to receive special offers from world-famous hotels. With Kyoto Winter Special, the breathtaking beauty of winter in Kyoto.
Ask anyone who has been to Kyoto and other Japanese cities and they will probably tell you the same thing there is nothing like Kyoto if you really want to get a hands on experience of what the Japanese culture is like.
Experience Japan With Your Senses
For these travelers, visiting Kyoto, the 1,200-year-old cultural heart of Japan, without experiencing the culture is too much of a virtual experience. Why restrict yourself to the sights alone when you can feel the smooth embrace of silk kimono, taste the bitter froth after whisking up a cup of powdered green tea.
For these experiential travelers, Kyoto offers a growing menu of taiken hands-on tours in English, and I recently sampled a few.
The first was at Shunkoin temple, one of 48 sub-temples in the sprawling Myoshinji Buddhist temple complex in western Kyoto, where the affable young English-speaking vice abbot, Takafumi Kawakami, leads a tour of the temple and gardens and two 15-minute sessions of Rinzai Zen meditation.
More Potential World Heritage Sites For Japan
To have a place designated as a World Heritage Site is not a minor thing. And before a place can have that honor, a lot of steps have to be followed.
It is common knowledge that Japan already has a lot of locations which are considered as World Heritage Sites but as a testament to the richness of their culture, the government has proposed another 5 sites.
Japanese schoolchildren go on countryside trips
According to reports, a lot of educational benefits are being seen from students who actually experience nature first hand. The villages and towns, on the other hand, see a business opportunity in the said tours. This is something that they also need because of the dwindling population in these areas.
The practice of making nature excursions has increased over the last five years and this has spread mainly by just word of mouth. I am just hoping that these immersion programs also bring to light the plight of less fortunate people in Japanese society and not just focus on nature.
Kapuseru Hoteru (Capsule Hotels)
A capsule hotel is a type of hotel accommodation popular mostly among travelers stranded for the night and those who are on a tight budget. Capsules are usually about 2m by 1m by 1.5m in dimension and so is unsuitable for those above six feet tall and, of course, for a claustrophobic.
Despite the very limited space you will be surprised at how well equipped these hotels are. Each capsule usually comes with a built in mini TV, radio, and alarm clock, plus fresh bedding of course. You can also use the hotel’s lockers, shower rooms, laundry facilities, restaurants, vending machines, and clothes shop. An overnight stay costs Â¥2000-4000 while an afternoon nap is usually even cheaper.
Despite the very limited space you will be surprised at how well equipped these hotels are. Each capsule usually comes with a built in mini TV, radio, and alarm clock, plus fresh bedding of course. You can also use the hotel’s lockers, shower rooms, laundry facilities, restaurants, vending machines, and clothes shop. An overnight stay costs Â¥2000-4000 while an afternoon nap is usually even cheaper.
Scuba Diving in Japan
Izu Peninsula, this is the most popular dive spot in the mainland. Only a train ride away from Tokyo, the Izu Peninsula is home to many different kinds of diving activities as well as the onsen. In fact, it is more popular for the latter.
Ogasawara Islands, also part of Tokyo, these islands have a warmer temperature and thus warmer waters. It is quite far though – at 1,850 km to the south. It is perfect for those who are looking for a longer diving trip.
Okinawa, a familiar name to many, Okinawa is actually the Japanese tropical paradise.Located in the southernmost part of the country, Okinawa offers the best scuba diving in all of Japan.
