Frommer's Japan

675 Pages·2012·61.104 MB·English

by  Beth Reiber

Japan
11th Edition
by Beth Reiber
with Andrew Bender
Published by:
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5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
List of Maps vii
1
THE BEST OF JAPAN
1
The Most Unforgettable Travel The Best Family Experiences 5
Experiences 2 The Best Traditional Japanese-Style
The Best City & Small-Town Accommodations 6
Experiences 3 The Best Historic Experiences 7
The Best Food & Drink The Best Outdoor Experiences 7
Experiences 3
The Best Shopping Experiences 8
The Best Ways to See Japan Like
The Best Offbeat Travel
a Local 4
Experiences 9
2
JAPAN IN DEPTH
11
Japan Today 12 Dealing with the Language
The Making of Japan 14 Barrier 30
Japanese Arts in a Nutshell 20 Japan in Popular Culture: Books &
Film 32
SUMO 22
Eating & Drinking in Japan 36
THE MAGICAL WORLD OF VENDING
MACHINES 24 When to Go 46
Shrines & Temples: Religion in JAPAN CALENDAR OF EVENTS 48
Japan 24 Responsible Travel 54
Minding Your P’s & Q’s 25 Tours 55
THE HOME-VISIT SYSTEM 26
3
SUGGESTED JAPAN ITINERARIES
58
The Regions in Brief 58 NORTHERN JAPAN IN 2 WEEKS 64
JAPAN HIGHLIGHTS 61 HONSHU’S BEST GARDENS & CASTLES 67
SMALL TOWNS & VILLAGES 62
4
TOKYO
70
The Best Tokyo Experiences 71 FAST FACTS: TOKYO 85
Essentials 72 Exploring Tokyo 88
TOKYO’S NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF 78 UENO PARK: TOKYO’S BEST FAMILY
OUTING 95
Getting Around 81
SPECTATOR SPORTS 102 Where to Eat 116
IMMERSING YOURSELF IN JAPANESE FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANTS 123
CULTURE 104
Shopping 144
WALKING TOUR 1: SEARCHING FOR OLD
Entertainment & Nightlife 156
EDO, A WALKING TOUR OF
ASAKUSA 108 Where to Stay 166
WALKING TOUR 2: IN THE HEART OF FAMILY-FRIENDLY HOTELS 170
TRENDY TOKYO, A STROLL THROUGH NARITA STOPOVER 180
HARAJUKU & AOYAMA 112
5
SIDE TRIPS FROM TOKYO
186
The Best Tokyo Side Trip Mount Fuji 205
Experiences 186 Hakone 208
Kamakura, Ancient Capital 187 Izu Peninsula, Tokyo’s
Shogun Country: Nikko 192 Playground 216
Yokohama, City of the
21st Century 200
6
THE JAPAN ALPS
222
The Best Japan Alp The Nakasendo Highway 230
Experiences 222 Hida Takayama, Little Kyoto of the
Matsumoto, Gateway to the Japan Mountains 233
Alps 223 Rural Shirakawa-go & Ogimachi 243
7
KYOTO & NARA
248
The Best Kyoto Experiences 249 Where to Eat 266
Essentials 249 Shopping in Kyoto 279
KYOTO’S NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF 251 Entertainment & Nightlife 282
Getting Around 251 Where to Stay in Kyoto 285
FAST FACTS: KYOTO 253 WALKING TOUR 1: A STROLL THROUGH
Exploring Kyoto 254 HIGASHIYAMA-KU 300
WALKING TOUR 2: THE PHILOSOPHER’S
Imperial Villas & Temples Within
STROLL 305
Easy Reach of Kyoto 264
A Side Trip to Nara 309
8
THE REST OF WESTERN HONSHU
317
The Best Western Honshu More of Old Japan: Kanazawa 342
Experiences 317 FAST FACTS: KANAZAWA 343
Nagoya, a Historic & Modern TEA FOR THE SOUL 345
Crossroad 318 LIVE LIKE A LOCAL 353
FAST FACTS: NAGOYA 321
Osaka, City of Merchants 354
Ise-Shima National Park 332 A NOTE ON DIRECTIONS 359
FAST FACTS: OSAKA 361 COUNTRYSIDE DELIGHTS: OKAYAMA
INTERNATIONAL VILLA GROUP 405
Kobe, a Cosmopolitan Port 376
Kurashiki, Market Town of Many
FAST FACTS: KOBE 379
Charms 405
The Temples of Mount Koya 388
Off the Beaten Path: Matsue 411
Himeji, a Castle Town 393
FAST FACTS: MATSUE 412
FAST FACTS: HIMEJI 393
Hiroshima, Then & Now 421
Okayama: Gateway to Shikoku 397
FAST FACTS: HIROSHIMA 422
FAST FACTS: OKAYAMA 398
Miyajima, Scenic Island in the Seto
THE POTTERY TOWN OF BIZEN 403
Sea 433
9
SHIKOKU
440
The Best Shikoku Experiences 440 A DOUBLE OR A TWIN? 451
Takamatsu 441 Matsuyama Castle & Dogo Spa 452
FAST FACTS: TAKAMATSU 442 FAST FACTS: MATSUYAMA 454
DOGGEDLY FAITHFUL 447 BOTCHAN IN MATSUYAMA 455
10
KYUSHU
463
The Best Kyushu Experiences 463 Kumamoto, Castle Town 492
Fukuoka, Gateway to Kyushu & FAST FACTS: KUMAMOTO 493
Beyond 464 Kagoshima, Playground of the
FAST FACTS: FUKUOKA 467 South 500
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME 469 FAST FACTS: KAGOSHIMA 502
Nagasaki, Window to the World 474 Southern Kyushu’s Top Spa:
FAST FACTS: NAGASAKI 477 Ibusuki 512
Unzen Spa & Its Hells 487 Beppu, King of the Hot-Spring
Spas 516
FAST FACTS: UNZEN 489
11
OKINAWA
524
The Best Okinawa Experiences 524 Kume Island 534
Okinawa Island 525 The Yaeyama Islands—Ishigaki &
Iriomote 537
12
NORTHEASTERN HONSHU: TOHOKU
540
The Best Tohoku Experiences 542 Kakunodate, Town of Samurai
The Pine-Clad Islands of Homes 553
Matsushima 543 Towada-Hachimantai National
Hiraizumi, 12th-Century Buddhist Park 557
Utopia 549
13
HOKKAIDO
565
The Best Hokkaido Noboribetsu Spa & Shikotsu-Toya
Experiences 566 National Park 585
Essentials 566 ANOTHER ISLAND, ANOTHER PEOPLE:
THE AINU OF HOKKAIDO 586
Hakodate, Southern Gateway to
Hokkaido 568 Sounkyo Spa & Daisetsuzan
National Park 591
Sapporo 573
Akanko Spa & Akan National
FAST FACTS: SAPPORO 576
Park 594
14
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO JAPAN
600
Getting There 601 TIPS FOR SAVING ON YOUR
COPING WITH JET LAG 602 HOTEL ROOM 619
FAST FACTS: JAPAN 622
Getting Around 602
Airline Websites 637
TRAVEL TIP 603
Tips on Accommodations 613
15
A GLOSSARY OF USEFUL
JAPANESE TERMS
639
Index 643
Accommodations Index 655 Restaurant Index 657
LIST OF MAPS
Japan Highlights 63 The Japan Alps 225
Small Towns & Villages 65 Where to Dine in Kyoto 268
Northern Japan in 2 Weeks 67 Kyoto 286
Honshu’s Best Gardens & Castles 69 Walking Tour 1: Higashiyama-ku 301
Tokyo Attractions 90 Walking Tour 2: The Philosopher’s
Walking Tour 1: Asakusa 109 Stroll 307
Walking Tour 2: Harajuku & Aoyama 113 Nara 311
Ginza & Hibiya 118 Nagoya 319
Harajuku & Aoyama 135 Osaka 356
Roppongi 139 Hiroshima 423
Shinjuku 172 Takamatsu 443
Asakusa 177 Kyushu 465
Ueno 183 Nagasaki 475
Side Trips from Tokyo 189 Okinawa 527
Kamakura 191 Northeastern Honshu: Tohoku 541
Nikko 193 Hokkaido 567
Yokohama 201 Sapporo 575
Hakone 209
To my parents, who, while I was growing up in Kansas, always encouraged me
to look farther than my own backyard; to my sons, Matthias and Johannes, for
providing a teenager’s perspective on Japan; and to the Japanese people,
who have taught me more about myself and life than I’d ever imagined.
—Beth Reiber
Dedication: To the people of Tohoku,
whose spirit of ganbare (go for it!) is an inspiration.
—Andrew Bender