Japan is one of the most beautiful and safest countries to visit.
I have never felt that it’s dirty on the street or restroom (toilet) in Japan for more than 20 years.
In Europe(at least Germany and Italy as I know), there are a lot of random doodles on the public walls, trains or buildings.
I have never seen those kinds of random doodles in Japan.
I would say that Japan is a clean country.
And Japan is a safe country because for example, you could sleep in public transport.
Many people in the train sleep kind of deeply but I have never seen someone try to steal a bag from people who are sleeping.
I was regularly sleeping on the train in Japan as well.
I thought it’s normal to sleep in the train until European people told me that it’s not safe to sleep in the train in Europe.
But you don’t have to worry so much but it’s better to be careful when you travel in foreign country (Japan) just in case.
One of the stressful things might be Japanese language for foreigners in Japan.
All letters are in Japanese in Japan.
Some tourist places, there are English, Chinese and Korean translations.
I hope Japan becomes more international than before.
To travel in Japan for two weeks is not enough time to visit all the nice places in Japan.
There are many beautiful, traditional, modern or special places in Japan.
This time, I will focus on traveling in the middle and west areas of Japan which are Osaka, Kyoto, Mie and Gifu prefecture.
Actually, I would like to visit Fukuoka which is in Kyushu area because I heard that there are a lot of tasty food there e.g. a lot of Ramen restaurants.
Anyway, when I’m in Japan, I would like to hang out with my friends and my family.
Therefore I picked only those four places.While traveling, I’m planning to meet my friends.
Traveling in Japan for the first time, I strongly recommend visiting Kyoto which has a lot of traditional places.
For my boyfriend and me, I am making a plan to travel in Japan as below.
1.Kyoto (2 or 3 days)
Kyoto is a very popular place to visit for foreigners as well as Japanese people because there are many traditional places.
Ryoan ji
Ryoan ji is a Zen temple which has a big beautiful Japanese garden.
I have been there once before but I would like to see it again.
Address: 13 Ryoanji Goryonoshitacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
Open: 8AM-5PM
Kinkaku ji
Kinkaku ji is a Zen Buddhist temple.
Outside of the temple is made of gold.
I have been there twice and there were many tourists.
Address: 1 Kinkakujicho, Kita Ward, Kyoto
Open: 9AM-5PM
Arashiyama
I visited Arashiyama often.
A lot of nature and the atmosphere is calm and nice in Arashiyama.
There are bamboo forest, river and shops surrounded by mountain in Arashiyama.
You can also find a lot of souvenir shops and restaurant in Arashiyama.
Address: Ukyo Ward, Kyoto
2.Osaka (2 or 3 days)
Universal Studio Japan
Universal Studio Japan is theme parks in Japan.
My boyfriend is interested in Nintendo Mario amusement park in Universal Studio Japan.
I have been USJ twice and I had to wait for few hours to take Spider man’s attraction (ride).
It was fun but too many people in USJ in my opinion.
Address: 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
Cupnoodles-museum is a museum dedicated to instant noodles and Cup Noodles.
I was not into Japanese instant ramen before but since I’m living in Germany, I sometimes feel that I want to eat Japanese Ramen even if it’s instant.
So I just thought it’s going to be fun to visit Cupnoodles-museum in Japan.
Address: 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana Ward, Osaka
Open: 9:30AM-4:30PM
Closed: Thursday
Doutonbori
Doutonbori is a typical Osaka style area in my opinion.
I will meeting friends there and eat Takoyaki or Okonomiyaki.
There are many choices to eat and shop in Dotonbori area.
Address: Dōtonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka
3.Gifu “Seki city” (1 day)
Mone no Ike (Monet’s Pond)
I would like to visit “Mone no ike” in Gifu Japan.
One of my friend said that it is not so great than she was expected but when I googled Mone no ike,I could find many beautiful pictures of Mone no ike.
That’s why I would like to see it.
Plus, my friend is living in “Seki city” so I thought it is a good reason to visit “Mone no ike” in Gifu and meet a friend.
Mone no Ike (Monet’s Pond) is a big pond with some koi fish located in Gifu prefecture Japan.
The color and the view looks like one of French painter Claude Monet’s drawings.
That’s why the place is called Mone no Ike (Monet’s Pond).
Water in the pond is quite clean because it’s spring water.
The best season to go there is around June to September because the lotus is blooming.
Also, the best time would be sunny days for few days before you visit.
If it’s raining before you visit, the water is not clear.
When it’s snowing in winter, it might not be possible to go there because of snow in the mountains and shops might be closed.
Address: 441 Itatori, Seki, Gifu
Open: 24 hours
4.Mie “Ise city” (1 day)
There is a traditional big shrine “Ise jingu” in Ise city Mie.
Many Japanese men and women of all ages enjoy visiting there.
Ise Jingu (Ise Grand Shrine) is a Shinto shrine
Ise Jingu is built around 2000 years ago.
There are two main shrines which are Naikyu and Gekyu.
Ise Jingu contains total 125 buildings.
Every new year, Japanese prime minister and Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries visit there.
Japanese emperors and empresses visit Ise Jingu as well.
My family has been to Ise Jingu quite often.
Last time I went to Ise Jingu was with my mother and sister in 2018 May.
There was a Wadaiko (Japanese drum) event at Okage Yokocho near Ise Jingu and my mother really liked it.
Okage Yokocho is a town which looks Edo-period in Japan.
There are a lot of wooden housing, craft stores and restaurants so it is nice to buy souveniors.
One of popular food in Ise city, Mie is “Akafuku-mochi”.
You can visit the main shop of “Akafuku-mochi” which is well known by many people in Japan.
“Akafuku-mochi” is an Anko (sweet bean paste) with rice cake.
There are many nice places to walk around Ise Jungu.
Address: 1 Ujitachicho, Ise, Mie
Open: 5am–6pm
Normal price for me as below
•Lunch at restaurant 1000 yen
•Dinner at restaurant 2000 yen
•One night (air bnb / Hotel or nice Ryokan which is traditional Japanese style of hotel)
Transportation costs a lot for me.
For example, a one way ticket from Tokyo to Kyoto by Shinkansen (blue train) costs 14170 yen.
But Shinkansen (blue train) is very convenient and comfortable.
Someday, I would like to visit some other areas in Japan as below.
Tochigi (“city Nikko” traditional)
Gifu (“city Gero” Onsen/hot spring)
Shizuoka (mountain Fuji)
Hyogo (Big White Japanese Castle “Himeji jo”)
Fukuoka (many nice Ramen restaurants)
Hokkaido (big nature)
Hiroshima (Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum/Atomic Bomb Dome)
Nara (temple and deer)
Tokyo (big city/fish market at Tsukiji)
Okinawa (beautiful sea)
There are really a lot of beautiful places in Japan.
As Japanese, I would like to know a lot of places in Japan that I have not been to.
For my boyfriend, I thought it is nice to visit typical and orthodox traveling spots in Japan at the beginning.
In general, I don’t like crowded places and I prefer nature rather than city though.
There are many Japanese people and tourists at the popular spots in Japan.
If you think about the population, it is basically many people in Japan.
It is difficult to avoid many people unless you go to the countryside.
I would write about visiting countryside in Japan next time.